Despite legal challenges from the Sierra Club and the American Bottom Conservancy, the U.S. EPA gave Veolia Environmental Services the go ahead last week to operate a medical and chemical waste incinerator in Sauget.

Previous owners of the incinerator applied for the license more than a decade ago and have been allowed to operate under other permits since then.

Environmentalist Kathy Andria with the American Bottom Conservancy says the incinerator poses a major health hazard and should not be in a metropolitan area. © Copyright 2009, St. Louis Public Radio