Agency sets technical guidance on regulating clinical waste

New draft technical guidance from the Environment Agency on regulating clinical

waste is now out for consultation. Steve Lee, Head of Waste Policy at the Agency,

said: ” This will be essential guidance for the Agency’s staff. They will

be able to provide a more effective and consistent service in this specialised

area of waste regulation. The public, healthcare providers and the clinical

waste industry will all benefit. Meanwhile we shall welcome their comments on

the draft guidance.”

The new guidance is additional to Agency guidance on waste management licensing

and on the Pollution Prevention and Control regime. It covers:

• waste acceptance and dispatch
• waste handling and storage
• validation and controls for alternative treatment technologies
• emission and environmental monitoring
• spillage control and site decontamination (including licence surrender)

Clinical waste issues

Key issues relating to the management of clinical waste and wider concerns of

health and safety in the general area of waste and landfill operations are being

addressed both by government departments and the industry itself.

IWM and the ESA both have specialist groups dealing with these areas , with

IWM having established an e-mail network of over 100 healthcare professionals

. The institute also runs workshops and seminars on healthcare waste topics.

Pira also is running a new conference on the “Transport of Dangerous Goods

for the Health Professional” at two venues in November – Nottingham (15

November) and Leatherhead (21 November). Details are available on 01372 802228.

The waste management industry and producers of clinical waste are preparing

for the new regime which comes into force on 1 January 2002 which makes the

use of approved UN approved wheeled bins and rigid containers obligatory. The

Regulation require that from that date all healthcare risk wastes (Groups A-D)

are contained in UN approved rigid packaging when transported on the road. The

Sanitary Medical Disposal Services Association (SMDSA), whose membership includes

leading clinical waste contractors and NHS Estates, has been briefing the industry

on the requirements of the new transportation regime and other issues, such

as the prospects for continuing to use landfill in the future for the disposal

of certain wastes in the light of the EC Landfill Directive.

The main aim of the Directive is “to prevent or reduce as far as possible

the negative effects of landfilling waste on the environment and human health.

It will ensure that landfill sites across the European Union face strict regulatory

controls on their operation. Environmental monitoring and long-term care after

closure.”

Landfill health risk report

Concern over potential risks associated with landfill sites in general, not

specifically related to clinical waste disposal, was raised following a recent

study by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU) for the Department of

Health, into the health of populations around landfill sites. SASHU looked at

the rates of birth defects, low birth weight, stillbirths and of certain cancers

in populations living within 2km of landfill sites. In the most extensive study

of landfill sites anywhere in the world, the study group examined 9,565 landfill

sites that were in operation between 1982 and 1997.

While the study found no increase in rates of cancer in the populations living

close to landfill sites, there were indications of small increases in congenital

abnormalities and lower birth weight in babies. There was no difference in the

rate of stillbirths and rates of birth defects did not increase.

The SAHSU study says that is not clear at present that landfills are causing

these effects and that other explanations are possible.

The research provoked a wave of reaction in the national media headlining the

possible health risks posed by landfill sites, However, responding to the report,

the LGA’s Public Protection Committee urged caution against too hasty an interpretation

of the suggestion that there were possible links between landfill sites and

birth defects.

The ESA , after taking leading specialist scientific advice on the research

and its findings, confirmed its belief that “The UK’s regulated landfills

are safe and that the SASHU report’s key findings are consistent with ESA’s

view.”

IWM, while supporting SAHSU call for further work to be undertaken in assessing

health impacts of landfill sites, also urged caution when drawing conclusions

from the report.