Substitute Senate Bill No. 80 introduces stringent regulations for the incineration of hospital, medical, and infectious waste in Connecticut. It requires that any individual or facility incinerating such waste obtain a permit from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), which must comply with emission standards at least as strict as those set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as of January 1, 2025. The bill eliminates any existing exemptions under federal regulations regarding emission standards, ensuring that all incineration facilities adhere to these new requirements.

Additionally, the bill mandates that within 180 days of its passage, all incineration facility operators must implement continuous emissions monitoring for specific pollutants, including mercury and hydrochloric acid, and continuous sampling for dioxins and furans. The data from these monitoring efforts must be publicly accessible on the facility's website. The legislation also updates the legal framework by inserting provisions that require DEEP to issue air quality permits that align with both state and federal standards, and it emphasizes the importance of the new source review (NSR) permit program for regulating emissions from newly constructed or modified incinerators. The Environment Committee has favorably reported the bill with a vote of 24 in favor and 6 against.