Managing Norovirus infection wastes
New guidelines are hot off the press regarding the management of Norovirus infection in acute and community health and social care settings. Those guidelines, prepared after collaboration between the British […]
regulation
Are old ideas the best?
Old ideas are often the best, and in the case of clinical waste treatment from sources at University College Hospital London that is undoubtedly true. Many laboratories produce vast quantities […]
What made Milwaukee famous?
Well, the song was good, but the Schlitz beer that made Milwaukee famous was undoubtedly preferable to a day spent on Milwaukees Lake Michigan beaches! Environmental groups report, once again, substantial […]
Tissue waste disposal
More on the case of the widow of a US army soldier who died in combat and from whom some body parts once recovered after the incident and from immediate […]
Wide variation in clinical waste management practice
In the UN Report of the Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights, […]
US sending its hospital waste to other countries?
A news bulletin reports that Brazil recently received two containers with 45 tons of illegal hospital waste from the US. Inspectors found bed sheets, dressing gowns, pillowcases, aprons, and diapers, along […]
The horrors of war
Sadly, the world continues to witness war and conflict, and in consequence the death toll on every side continues to climb. Each one an individual, a father or son, a mother, […]
Acknowledging adverse health effects of military burn pits
Legislation introduced in the House would require the Veterans Affairs Department to create a register for veterans who have health problems they believe are related to exposure to open-air burn […]
Illegal medical waste dump sites cleared
“The four illegal medical waste dumping sites in and around Welkom have been cleared and rehabilitated, according to the National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report (NECER) 2010/11 released on Thursday. […]
US hospital saves $100,000 with ‘green’ practices
The Johns Hopkins University Hospital has saved $100,000 over a number of months by reducing its medical waste by 16 percent and by putting it in the correct containers. “Red […]
Clinical waste dumped – South Wales
Recycling bins outside the Red Lion pub in Hendy, Carmarthenshire, have been removed after clinical waste was dumped in them. Glass recycling bins were taken away by the council after […]
Pharmaceutical waste management
Whether the waste from pharmaceutical R&D, manufacturing, stocking and over-stocking in pharmacies, over-prescribing or patient non-compliance, there is a great need to minimise pharmaceutical waste. The combined aims must be […]
Strike action
Hospital ancillary staff in Queensland’s public hospitals are expected to ramp up industrial action in their fight for a better pay deal. New bans on a range of patient services will […]
Medical waste contaminating blue bins
Thurrock council uses blue bins for domestic recyclacbles. They have been complaining that “some residents are costing it money buy throwing medical waste in their blue bins” – never mind […]
Needles threaten recycling employees
The appearance of used needles in wastes intended for recycling seems to be remarkably common. Why this is so is difficult to define but in the absence of an effective disposal […]
Vietnam struggles with medical waste disposal infrastructure
More than half of the medical waste incinerators in Vietnam have been left unused because their owners do not have money to pay for fuel and maintenance. Especially, they still do […]
Ask for Evidence!
Sharp eyed visitors will notice a new Ask for Evidence link on our home page. Blenkharn Environmental is pleased to support the Ask for Evidence campaign of Sense about Science. As […]
Environment Agency – Consultation on charges for 2012 to 2015
The Environment Agency are opening a consultation on their charges for 2012 to 2015. The consultation covers charging proposals for Environmental Permitting, abstraction and Emissions Trading charging schemes from 2012-2015. EA […]
Prison needle exchange scheme?
There is no doubt that in US and UK prisons, needles are a widespread problem and major health risk. The risk of sharps injury is high since needles are not […]
Needles found on busy Flintshire street
A news report tells of a number of needles found with black refuse sack on a street in Flintshire, and the finder just happened to be the local mayor! With […]
Farming pharmaceuticals
The use of drugs in farm animals is strictly controlled to prevent the appearance of drug residues in foods for human consumption. Quite rightly, that does not eliminate the use […]
More prescriptions, more waste
Scotland’s GPs are complaining that the free prescription policy in Scotland puts on them extra pressure with patients wanting their free prescription for this, that and the other. Last updated: […]
Indian hospital troubled by broken incinerator
News in The times of India that a hospital in Kanpur is presently suffering the consequences of a broken incinerator. Though it is officially disputed, clinical wastes are being burned […]
Waste audit
In a nice piece posted recently on editNet, the SRCL sales & marketing director says that many NHS Trusts have traditionally separated out their waste streams because they believe it’s the […]
Wastewater treatment to remove pharma residues
The removal of pharma residues from waste treatment process waters or more generally from wastewaters from hospitals and nursing homes, from intensive agricultural facilities and perhaps even from community wastewater […]
Oman – National strategy for medical waste management soon
The state-owned Oman Environmental Services Holding Company SAOC (OESHCO) is formulating a national strategy to manage the large volumes of ‘potentially lethal’ clinical (medical) waste generated by the country’s vast […]
Legislating drug waste disposal
The proposed US Pharmaceutical Stewardship Act of 2011 (HR 2939) would “set up a nonprofit corporation financed by pharmaceutical producers which would be responsible for establishing comprehensive drug take-back programs […]
Healthcare waste management – a global perspective
UN investigator says medical waste mostly unregulated, often dumped illegally, risks ignored “The Washington Post today quotes a human rights investigator for the United Nations who says up to a quarter of […]
Cutting through the ….
Advertising flimflam is usually quite obvious. Bold and exaggerated claims and highly selective quotes clipped out of context are usually easy to spot. The law says much about the use […]
Pharmaceuticals in drinking water
Quite rightly, there is great concern about the presence of trace concentrations of certain – and realistically, about the presence of any – pharmaceuticals in drinking water. Taking the broader […]