LB Barnet have been working hard to update their clinical waste information for community producers. Their recently published GN 5 – Guidance Notes for Storage and Disposal of Clinical Waste explains the […]
East Cheshire NHS Trust has outsourced all of its waste management to SRCL. In a predictably upbeat news release, it is reported that the Trust has become the first organisation to […]
“A used needle and syringe “heavily contaminated” with blood were discovered while 100 children took part in a community litter-pick near a primary school. “The discarded needle was found during […]
National Sales Manager Midlands & North of England £45k basic plus Excellent Bonus, Company Car and Excellent Benefits. A market leading, innovative, medical device company that has led the way […]
It is a truism that, at all times “Your waste [is] your responsibility”. Nobody would argue with that but sometimes this creates a precedent against which the blameless can be unfairly measured. […]
Thanks to David Ritchie of Ritchies Training Centre, Glasgow, for news that three medical workers have caught Hepatitis C after ‘jagging’ themselves on dirty needles. They were infected with the virus – […]
It is becoming increasingly common to downplay or overlook completely the possibility of bloodborne virus infection after sharps injury or other blood or bloodstained body fluid exposure. The low incidence of […]
In a remarkably no-news item appearing in the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, an elderly pensioner complains that he unexpectedly received a bright yellow clinical waste bin and four ‘huge bags’ delivered to […]
A total of £5,024.44 has been donated to East Anglia Air Ambulance as part of the recycling and waste management company’s charity scheme related to health & safety performance. Each […]
Many Trusts and smaller organisations including PCTs and GP surgeries are struggling to implement EU Directive 2010/32/EU, or are they dragging their heels to delay the additional expenditure that will be inevitable? […]
Many waste managers and their clinical colleagues will know the value of sharps safety training that is supported by additional posters and logos etc placed prominently by general waste and sharps […]
The Clinical Waste Discussion Forum has previously considered the risks to ancillary workers and waste handlers of sharps carelessly discarded in clinical waste sacks or laundry, or spilled from inadequately sealed […]
A national cleaning company has been fined £175,000 after a hospital porter was killed by an industrial waste compactor in Bolton. The man’s neck was broken when the lid on the large […]
Sounding more like a troublesome consequence of prostitution, ‘occupational syphilis’ has been recorded in a recent report from the US. Previous reports have described many cases of occupational syphilis in […]
Though the winder has <<so far>> been uncharacteristically mild, outbreaks of winter vomiting virus have been as frequent as ever. Hospitals have reported a substantial number of outbreaks, and these have […]
We have discussed on the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum, over many years, the problem of drug residues in the environment. It is an issue in which we stand very much […]
ScienceDaily reports that large quantities of antibiotic-resistant bacteria enter the environment via municipal – and especially hospital – wastewater streams. Although wastewater treatment plants reduce the total number of bacteria, the most hazardous […]
The information available on local authority web pages creates an essential method of communicating waste-related news to residents and others. A recent update by Cornwall Council (http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=30535) discusses assisted and […]
The head of the World Health Organisation has recently warned about antibiotic resistance caused by prodigal use of drugs on factory farms: “Greater quantities of antibiotics are used in healthy animals […]
Healthcare is becoming more green, slowly, sometimes very slowly, but there are improvements. Some measures are clearly valuable and worthwhile. Others perhaps less so though if it sends a positive […]
A TV news report concerning clinical (medical) waste items strewn across a section of grassed roadside in Australia makes interesting listening. Last updated: Saturday, March 17, 2012
I had the misfortune of a hospital appointment yesterday, for a series of tests that too place in a modest sized room equipped with an examination couch and a whole […]
There are several ways to reduce the NHS expenditure associated with unwanted prescriptions. Control of prescribing, and the uncontrolled issue of repeat prescriptions, are perhaps the most appropriate control measures though […]
Clinical wastes in the community take two forms, discarded drug litter and waste from individuals receiving usually long-term care in their own home. Management of those wastes is generally the […]
letsrecycle.com is claiming that pharmaceutical retailer Boots is preparing to classify all waste collections from its UK outlets as dry mixed recycling. As of April 2012, all waste from its […]
Sadly, many babies are stillborn or die at or shortly after birth. Worldwide, abortion including late abortion is a common therapeutic and/or ‘social’ procedure, the remains of which must be disposed […]
It is reported that Pete Doherty has used his own blood for artworks at an exhibition. Artwork that has been painted using the musician Pete Doherty’s blood has gone on display […]
The European Biosafety Network and UNISON would like to invite you to attend the European Biosafety Summit in London on Friday 1 June 2012. The Summit is a one day […]
Remains of some victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US were taken to a landfill site, a Pentagon report has found. “Several portions of remains” found at […]
The prescribing of unnecessary and unwanted medicines places a substantial and unwelcome pressure of healthcare costs, stockpiles drugs in bathroom cabinets that increases the risk of self-harm or accidental poisoning, and bears […]