Re: UK clinical waste goes to Brazil

From: Ian
Category: Miscellaneous
Date: 17 Jul 2009
Time: 10:53:00 +0200
Remote Name: 86.133.219.108

Comments

As further information becomes available, the BBC now report that:

• 64 containers with more than 1,400 tonnes of hazardous UK waste were found in three of the country's ports
• The authorities say that among the material which was brought in illegally they discovered batteries, syringes, condoms and nappies.
• Since the initial discovery, another 25 containers with hospital waste were found, also apparently from England
• In a statement the British Embassy in Brazil promised "immediate steps". It said the UK was completely opposed to any kind of illegal trade in waste.

Sounds like a fair response on behalf of the UK, but it is of course the easy response and one that may cover some very serious deficiencies in the regulatory process. Individuals within EA do puff themselves out with a sort of bullyboy pride when they tell us that the generation and movement of clinical wastes in England is so tightly mapped that they know where it all goes. And they levy considerable charges for the data - from consignment notes - to get that information.

In the final analysis, we must wait for the full facts to become known but if these initial reports are correct that consignment note system has clearly been disgraced, perhaps by falsification, though there can be no doubt that this broken regulatory system, and those that manage, is in urgent need of a rigorous root and branch review and some drastic action to put the regulatory system back on track.

Last changed: 09/21/10