We have become used to complaints about commercial healthcare waste development plant plans, about the transport of clinical wastes on the highway, and about wastes dumped in the community, or mismanaged in an established treatment facility.

Rarely however, do campaigners complain of those wastes on hospital premises except where there are more general concerns about hygiene standards when complaints about clinical (medical) waste management seems to be raised as if in support of the primary complaint. So, in general, its not an issue in hospital despite sitting in an open sack or bin at the end of the hospital bed, but becomes a horrible toxic menace to all within an instant, as soon as those bags leave the hospital site. It really does not make sense.

Most of the complainants and pressure groups seem to insist on on-site waste treatment, believing that this would reduce risks to themselves and their communities. Perhaps that is so, but does it not simply more the problem elsewhere, or rather leave it exactly where it began?  And what about all of those at risk hospital patients, don’t they deserve consideration and protection from the perceived, but often unspecified hazards?

Despite this irrationality, complaints about on-site hospital treatment are few and far between though perhaps this is because of the now infrequent on-site treatment of clinical waste and the increase in off-site trade processing. Now, one hospital has decided to go back to on-site treatment and install a Rotoclave. That should please most, if not all of the protesters. But not so.

In Johannesburg, Roodepoort residents are up in arms at the prospect of having a hydroclave, a unit which sterilises and dehydrates medical waste, on their doorstep in the Wilgeheuwel Hospital. The hospital has applied for permission to have the unit installed, but neighbours claim that it poses a health risk as it will be placed close to their windows.

Without seeing the plans, it is difficult to comment specifically, but I might opine that the distance between the Rotoclave and those residents’ windows is no less than for many existing commercial installations.

Sometimes, you just can’t win!