Regulator bites!
“Scripps Health and Sharp Memorial Hospital have settled separate civil lawsuits with the county District Attorney’s Office for improperly disposing medical and hazardous wastes, including human blood and tissue, in […]
waste regulation
War of words
In the on-going war of words between pro-life protesters and registered US abortion clinics, it seems there are no limits to the extent of criticism and guilt by association. Some time ago, […]
Panda poo
There has been much news about the two giant pandas recently arrived at Edinburgh Zoo on loan from China. We must give them a warm welcome. For the next 6 months, […]
Cremation – who gets the gold?
Gold prices are riding high. With an eye, if not a tooth, on profit nine South Koreans have been arrested for stealing, selling and buying melted gold teeth from cremation […]
Dental clinic failures
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has reported that West Street Dental Practice in Congleton is not meeting the essential standard and must improve. Key failures were in cleanliness and infection […]
Confidential paper disposal
“Confidential patient details were thrown out in the wrong bin at Peterborough City Hospital, breaching data laws. “An investigation has been launched by Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust […]
Public sector services dispute and clinical waste collections
The public sector service industrial action on Wednesday will disrupt many services. Waste collections will be included among these disruptions and where clinical waste collections from domestic premises and other […]
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 […]
Novel contraption for Vietnam clinical wastes
A clinical waste incinerator built by a local farmer may not be totally efficient and pollution free but it’s churning through waste that was otherwise dangerous and time consuming to […]
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 […]
“Hospital incinerator contaminates patients”
A Namibian news report tells that “every morning a huge cloud of black smoke soars from the chimneys of a small corrugated iron building next to the Katutura State Hospital […]
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, […]
Needle-free vaccinations
The use of syringes for vaccination is set to decline, affecting also the volume of sharps waste as work continues on alternate delivery systems for common vaccines. Some oral products […]
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 […]
New FDA sharps advice portal
The US FDA has launched a new web portal offering advice and guidance on the safe disposal of sharps. http://www.fda.gov/safesharpsdisposal The site is aimed at small producers – diabetics, small clinics […]
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, […]
Hepatitis B virus infection among medical waste handlers in Addis Ababa
Hepatitis B virus infection among medical waste handlers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is a real problem. In a detailed research paper from that country, the incidence of Hepatitis B was […]
Community pharma waste collection schemes
We make no apology for repeating on the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum, yet again, the news of community hazardous household waste collections schemes operating in the US. Although there are some […]
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. […]
Changing trends in community healthcare
There are changing trends in community healthcare driven largely, though not exclusively, by the need for cost saving. This places many more patients into the community, from early hospital discharge […]
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 […]
Norovirus risk for waste handlers
The Norovirus season will be upon us soon, and though much of the waste – mainly vomit bowls and the like – will go into the washer macerator, a great deal of […]
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 […]
Illicit salvage for re-use
Reduce, reuse, recycle. It seems sensible but in many countries the reality is of illicit salvage of items from clinical wastes followed by repackaging (of sorts) and reuse, all without […]
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 […]
Prescription drug round-up collects over 250,000 pills
It’s easy done, and very effective. Though there is rapidly increasing concern about teh presence of pharmaceutical residues in wastewater, and thereby in natural waters, little seems to be done […]
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 […]
Single use vs reusable sharps containers
In a carefully managed PR release, information of a presentation given at a Chicago environmental meeting reports a claim of reduced CO2 emission and lowered environmental impact from reusable sharps disposal […]