(a)      After July 1, 1990, the owner of an incinerator for the disposal of solid waste as defined in § 7-201 or § 9-101 of this article may not operate or cause the incinerator to be operated unless the owner certifies to the Department that any person operating the incinerator has completed a course of instruction, approved by the Department, in the proper and safe operation of the incinerator.

      (b)      An operator of an incinerator who meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this section shall be present at all times the incinerator is in operation.

      (c)      The Department shall adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

      (d)      The Department shall, at a minimum, conduct quarterly inspections of an incinerator that accepts more than 50 tons per day of special medical waste, as defined in Title 26, Subtitle 13, Chapter 11 of the Code of Maryland Regulations, and may undertake other activities as necessary to determine whether the operation of the incinerator meets the requirements of the air quality permit issued under this title.

      (e)      The Department shall, at a minimum, require the holder of a permit to incinerate special medical waste that accepts more than 50 tons of special medical waste per day to:

            (1)      Sample stack emissions under normal operating conditions at least one time per year for dioxin and heavy metals, including barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, mercury, zinc, arsenic, selenium, and vanadium; and

            (2)      Provide the test report to the Department.

      (f)      The holder of the permit shall pay the Department for the cost of the inspection and any other activity conducted under subsection (d) of this section.