Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jece Characterization and leachability evaluation of medical wastes incineration fly and bottom ashes and their vitrification outgrowths C. Tsakalou a,c , S. Papamarkou b , P.E. Tsakiridis b, ⁎ , G. Bartzas b , K. Tsakalakis b a Association of Municipalities in the Attica Region-Waste management (EDSNA), Athens, Greece b National Technical University of Athens, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Greece c Hellenic Open University, School of Science and Technology, Waste Management, Patra, Greece ARTICLE INFO Keywords: Medical wastes Fly ash Bottom ash Vitrification Leachability ABSTRACT The present investigation focus on the characterization and leachability evaluation of medical wastes in- cineration ashes and that of their glasses, produced during vitrification with soda lime recycled glass (SLRG). Two types of ashes were examined: A Fly Ash (MFA) derived from the incinerator waste gases de-dusting system (fabric filter dust collector), and a Bottom Ash (MBA) produced from the heavier particles of the agglomerated remaining matter, which are precipitated and accumulated usually in the combustion chamber. Glasses of various syntheses were obtained during the MFA and MBA vitrification with various amounts of silica scrap (20, 25 and 30 wt% for MBA and 50, 55 and 60 wt% for MFA). The characterization of both ashes and that of their vitreous products was carried out by means of chemical analysis and mineralogical analysis by X-ray diffraction. MFA microstructure and morphological characteristics were examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, whereas the corresponding of MBA and the produced glasses were studied in polished section through scanning electron microscopy. Their behaviour during leaching was determined by the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure test and the EN 12457-2 compliance leaching test and according to the results both ashes should be treated as hazardous wastes and in case of landfilling they should be disposed of at appropriate, regulation-prescribed waste dumps. On the other hand in case of their vitreous outgrowths, the trace elements detected in the leachates were well below the corresponding regulatory limits. 1. Introduction The ability of a health unit to improve the quality of the health services and also to provide a reliable level of medical care not only refers to the medical and hospital services, but also expands to parallel or subsequent activities to their main field. One of these contiguous or resultant activities with significant impact on the environment and human health is the management of medical waste produced by hos- pitalization. According to the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) about 85 wt% of the waste generated at health units presents similar properties with the corresponding of municipal solid wastes. The re- maining 15% is classified as hazardous, with properties such as in- fectivity, toxicity, carcinogenicity, radioactivity etc, thus requiring special treatment [1,2]. The term “Medical Waste” refers to all medical waste generated by Health Units, which have been mentioned in the waste catalogue of the Annex of the European Communities Decision [3]. In recent decades, the search for safe treatment and disposal of hazardous medical wastes is a major problem of the health sector worldwide and concerns not only the government mechanisms or the health unit’s administration, but also the society as a whole. The problem has been aggravated by the emergence of new infectious diseases and the simultaneous lack of the appropriate infrastructure for the safe handling of hazardous medical waste. The risk, therefore, for the environment and human health de- gradation, due to the release of hazardous substances, arises from the inappropriate waste management practices used. On the other hand, proper medical waste management requires significant on-going funding and monitoring, thereby administrations of health facilities do not give the necessary priority to address this issue [4,5]. The main aim/objective of the present research study is to present the results obtained from a complete characterization and the leach- ability evaluation of medical wastes derived from incineration i.e. MBA and MFA along with their corresponding glasses (VMBA and VMFA), generated during their vitrification with SLRG. The existing manage- ment methods of medical-waste disposal have been repelled due to ineffective inactivation of the contained pathogenic microorganisms, thus, resulting in the risk of contagion of infectious diseases, either by direct contact through wounds, inhalation and ingestion or by indirect https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2017.12.012 Received 19 September 2017; Received in revised form 1 December 2017; Accepted 6 December 2017 ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail address: ptsakiri@central.ntua.gr (P.E. Tsakiridis). Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 6 (2018) 367–376 Available online 07 December 2017 2213-3437/ © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. T