Waste sector risks
Baling machines, shredders and the like present a significant risk of serious injury to workers in the waste sector. In Thailand, a worker using a baling machine to compress plastic […]
health and safety
Waste exports to Sri Lanka?
It is claimed that human remains have been found in 100 containers of exported recycling sent from UK to Sri Lanka. The British government – the Environment Agency – has […]
Sharps and Overdose Awareness training
A valuable Sharps and Overdose Awareness training session coming up, Manchester on 22 July. And it’s free! About this Event What is a sharp and what injuries can they cause? The […]
Social role valorisation
The ongoing ‘HIV blood’ scandal inquiry continues and it was noticeable that one witness has spoken of the distress caused to her and her late husband when the clinical waste […]
Healthcare regulators seek clinical waste issues
As we have noted before on the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum, healthcare regulators the CQC and its Scottish equivalent frequently record issues with clinical and sharps waste handling, transport, and […]
Scots hospitals risk cross-contamination transporting clinical waste in same trolleys as sterile equipment
Hazardous clinical waste is being transported in the same hospital trolleys as sterile medical equipment — sparking fears of lethal cross-contamination. A whistleblower raised serious safety concerns after claiming roll […]
Rise in needle injuries following HSE Ltd??
Rise in needle injuries following collapse of hospital waste disposal firm. Union bosses have blamed the spate on untrained porters being made to work with hazardous materials. A Scottish health board […]
Pensioners “plagued by vermin from abandoned HES Ltd plant”
A furious pensioner has told how her home is now plagued by rats and putrid pongs from an abandoned medical waste depot. The lady revealed vermin have overrun her garden since […]
Carer slams plans to change waste collections in Sheffield Read more at: https://www.thestar.co.uk/our-towns-and-cities/sheffield/carer-slams-plans-to-change-waste-collections-in-sheffield-1-9601528
Well, it’s spreading among Local Authorities who are presumably cash poor and struggling to balance their books. After news of ‘threats’ to charge for domiciliary clinical waste collections when local […]
Call for extra funds for waste management issues
Health chiefs are being urged to plough more resources into Renfrewshire’s main hospital after inspectors uncovered a string of hygiene failures. Concerns have been raised that extra investment is needed to […]
Stericycle losing business?
A broken strap is believed to have a caused a Stericycle clinical (medical) waste spill on a road in Pennsylvania on Thursday. It happened around 1pm Thursday afternoon. What a mess! Apparently, a […]
Hospital porters injured handling clinical waste
Four porters at Inverness’ Raigmore Hospital were injured carrying out work involving clinical waste, the GMB union has said. The union has submitted a collective grievance to NHS Highland about the […]
Shock! Horror! New pictures ‘lay bare scale of NHS body parts scandal’
In a display of remarkable journalistic hyperbole, today’s Daily Mail screams “Shocking new pictures lay bare scale of NHS body parts scandal: Inside waste disposal firm facing criminal probe after […]
Used needles ‘overflowing onto floor’ in public toilet
Secure sharps bins in public and other toilets have become rather common in the last 5-10 years, though there is still much indignation and complaint from the moral majority who […]
But isn’t that their job?
An ‘outcry’ has erupted over the disposal of hazardous waste as untrained NHS staff are ordered to deal with ‘clinical rubbish’ So screams the latest Daily Record headline. “Hundreds of staff […]
Disreputable or helpful? You decide
Looking online for updated information about Healthcare Environmental I was, to say the very least, surprised to see a number of waste management companies who are trying hard to pick up […]
Clinical Waste Pedal Bins – are they a fire hazard?
Surprised to see the British Bins site advertising a 70 ltr open frame/free-standing clinical waste pedal bin. Isn’t it long over that these were replaced with something better? All metal lids […]
Catalogue of injuries for NHS Tayside staff
Health workers in Tayside are injured by patients in their care on a more than daily basis, figures have shown. Staff have been subjected to acts of aggressive behaviour or disclosed […]
PHS service complaint
Harbour House raises concerns after waiting two weeks for clinical waste removal. The West Bay care home is still waiting for their bins to be emptied by contractor PHS, with […]
Clinical waste incineration capacity row deepens
The war of words between the Environment Agency (EA) and contractor Healthcare Environmental Services (HES) has worsened after the company released a cache of emails and minutes of a meeting […]
NHS pays compensation to 1,200 staff after needlestick
More than 1,200 NHS staff have won compensation after being injured by needles potentially infected with HIV or hepatitis over the past six years. Official figures reveal an “unacceptable” picture […]
HES Normanton stored waste for months, freezer turned off
In yet another shock horror news report it is claimed that HES were storing mountains of waste and ‘body parts’ in a freezer that for months had the power turned […]
Clinical waste sacks found in Swindon street
Bags containing IV tubes and “pooled blood” were found in the street by a “shocked” passer-by. Toby Robson found several biohazard bags to his “horror and disgust” in Prospect Place, […]
Girl finds dirty needles in Worthing park
A four-year-old girl stumbled across a pile of syringes, vials and other drug paraphernalia while playing hide and seek in Tarring Park. Her Mum said she was playing with her […]
What is in your sharps bin?
In Namaimo, Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called to deal with explosive materials found inside sharps container at tent city. Nanaimo RCMP say it was the right call to […]
Canvey not clearing needles and clinical waste
Needles and clinical waste are not being collected raising fears about disease and the safety of bin collectors. Castle Point Council is due to take over the collection of clinical […]
Officials admit clinical waste incineration shortage
NHS Improvement and Environment Agency officials have previously privately acknowledged problems with England’s incineration capacity Healthcare Environment Services says it will take legal action against trusts which cancelled contracts Company’s […]
NHS waste backlog: Criminal probe launched
Few can have missed the generally lurid headlines concerning a ‘mountain of clinical wastes and human body parts’ that seem to have appeared in all news websites, TV news and […]
US study sheds light on needlestick injuries at MRFs
The hazards of needles to MRF sorters are well recognized, but new research puts an estimate to just how many workers are injured by them each year. In a survey, […]
Fenland to impose charges to patients for domestic sharps collections
As we noted previously, it is now confirmed that Fenland District Council WILL bill patients directly for the collection of sharps containers from domestic premises. We reported on news reports […]