b. When the quantity of edible garbage is sufficient to warrant selling it to local
contractors as hog food (if local laws permit), there are several important medical
implications involved. These include the following.
(1) Determining whether or not the contract provides for daily collection of the
garbage.
(2) Determining whether or not the Army is protected by the terms of the
contract against spillage on the installation.
(3) Determining whether garbage is cooked by the contractor before feeding
it to hogs (where required by law) and preventing or inhibiting the spread of trichinosis
or vesicular exanthema (a viral disease of hogs). Such a determination is not required
in the interest of the health of the command, but to avoid any complicity in a possible
violation of the law.
(4) Monitoring the proper cleaning of the garbage cans. Responsibility for
washing garbage containers remains with the units or individuals placing the garbage
for pickup.
c. Recycling paper items are folded neatly, tied, and stacked where they are
protected from the weather. Glass, bottles, and tin cans are cleaned and sorted. Cans
are flattened before they are placed in containers. Other items are prepared for pickup
as directed locally.
d. Many installations have established recycling programs and stations. These
programs should also be evaluated for potential health hazards. Preventive medicine
personnel should monitor them.
Section III. INCINERATION
1-11. GENERAL
An incinerator is an engineered apparatus capable of withstanding heat and
designed to efficiently reduce solid, semisolid, liquid, or gaseous waste by combustion
at specified rates to residues containing little or no combustible material. Although, an
incinerator occupies a small area, incineration is an expensive process because of fuel
and equipment costs. It also contributes to air pollution. As a result, the incinerator is
used infrequently. The sanitary landfill is the most common method of refuse disposal.
1-12. BASIC TYPES OF INCINERATORS
There are several types of incinerators designed to burn different types of waste
(rubbish, garbage, mixtures of rubbish and garbage, regulated medical waste, etc.). It is
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