Discarded face masks are everywhere
Characterization of littered face masks in the southeastern part of Turkey. Akarsu C, Madenli Ö, Deveci EÜ. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Apr 24. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-14099-8. Occurrence of personal […]
health and safety
Safe distance-based vehicle routing: medical/clinical waste
Safe Distance-Based Vehicle Routing Problem: Medical Waste Collection Case Study in COVID-19 Pandemic. Eren E, Rıfat Tuzkaya U. Comput Ind Eng. 2021 Apr 16:107328. doi: 10.1016/j.cie.2021.107328. Last updated: Thursday, April […]
Covid-19 infection among waste handlers
A waste centre has been blasted for a catalogue of Covid failures after a binman based there died of the virus. Mr Scott Hunter, 52, died last month after an 18-day battle at […]
e-learning programme launched
Stericycle have successfully launch a new e-learning programme for the healthcare sector, which is one of the first of its kind for the UK healthcare sector. The course is also […]
Government needs to urgently vaccinate waste operatives says waste management company
On the same theme as previous threads relating to Covid-19 infection responsible for the tragic death of two hospital porters, and claims of segregation and waste management deficiencies at vaccination […]
Staff absence forces company to make alternative arrangements for clinical waste collections from vaccination centres
A waste management company has been forced to make alternative arrangements for 15% of collections in London and South East England in the last week after ‘record numbers’ of drivers […]
Two hospital porters die of Covid-19 infection
The BBC report that a second hospital porter has sadly died from Covid-19 infection, the second Royal Stoke Hospital porter to die. Of course, this is terribly sad. Perhaps predictably […]
Hundreds of discarded hypodermic needles reported across Dundee and Angus
Hundreds of used needles are being found by shocked locals in Dundee and Angus every year as drug-related anti-social behaviour leaves residents living in fear. Data shows around 95% of the […]
RCN asks members for experience of sharps and needlestick injuries
The Royal College of Nursing is today launching a survey of members to gather information on their experience of sharps injuries at work. Sharps injuries, from instruments such as needles […]
NHS Waste Operative job
New post available now for a clinical waste porter or, if you really want, an Operative! £9.45 per hour Sunderland, Tyne And Wear Temporary, full-time or part-time Duties and Responsibilities […]
Covid-19 – Which hospital staff are important just now?
Physicians, anaesthetists, nurses? Perhaps surgeons, pharmacists, laboratory staff, radiologists and physiotherapists? They are all important and without them the service would crumble. So, which others are important just now, and […]
Hospital porter tests positive for coronavirus
A porter employed at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, has tested positive for coronavirus and is no self-isolating. More than 20 of his colleagues have also had to self-isolate as […]
UK waste incinerators 3x as likely to be in deprived areas
Waste incinerators are three times as likely to be situated in the most deprived and ethnically diverse areas of the UK, it has been revealed, raising fears about the impact […]
Covid-19 PPE waste from home healthcare delivery
At long last, the Environment Agency have issued revised guidance on the management of PPE from home healthcare workers treating patients with COVID-19 infection. Too little, too late is something […]
Cleansing and PPE waste at a healthcare waste management facility: RPS C1
This COVID-19 regulatory position statement (RPS) applies to: waste from cleaning people or places infected, or potentially infected, with coronavirus (COVID-19) separately collected personal protective equipment (PPE) waste, for example […]
Environment Agency RPS updates
Environment Agency RPS updates: The latest regulatory position statement updates from the Environment Agency. Monitoring emissions from some environmental permitting activities: RPS C7 Emissions to air from Large Combustion Plant in […]
Europol warns of raids on hospital waste to sell used coronavirus masks
Criminals raiding hospital waste to sell used coronavirus masks on the blackmarket is a major threat in Europe, a new report Europol has revealed. Europol says there has been a […]
DEFRA in COVID-19 contingency talks with waste sector
DEFRA is in talks with the waste industry and local authorities about ensuring collection and disposal services continue to operate as the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread across the UK, […]
Defra issues advice to the waste sector because of coronavirus and their household waste
COVID-19 is a huge problem, and that includes a problem for those involved in waste management. In the last 2 days, Defra has issued advice to the waste sector and […]
PHE issues Coronavirus waste disposal advice
In light of the global coronavirus outbreak, Public Health England has issued advice to the public on how to deal with potentially infectious waste. Public Health England recommends all waste […]
Wuhan novel coronavirus (WN-CoV) precautions
Public Health England’s (PHE) advice to primary care services on Wuhan novel coronavirus (WN-CoV) has been updated with guidance on environmental cleaning following a possible case. Whether that will work, […]
NHS Lanarkshire scoops environmental project award
NHS Lanarkshire is celebrating scooping an award for a successful environmental project to reduce the amount of recyclable material being mixed in with clinical waste from hospital operating theatres. The […]
‘Bodies in bins’ detector
World’s first ‘human detector’ to protect homeless people sleeping in bins launched A waste management company has developed a device to help protect homeless people who seek shelter inside industrial […]
Regulator acts after potential ‘risk to human health’ at warehouse
Steps have been taken at a warehouse unlawfully filled with more than 400 tonnes of NHS clinical waste after the Environment Agency raised concerns over a potential “significant risk to […]
Cumbria Crack reports major sharps bin dumping
An investigation has been launched following the discovery of clinical waste dumped on a roadside near Kendal. A member of the public reported seeing a number of black bin bags that […]
HIV outbreak, Pakistan, tops 1,100 cases
Nearly 900 children under 12 are among 1112 cases of HIV infection now confirmed in an outbreak linked to a paediatrician in Ratodero, Pakistan, who reused syringes and IV drips. […]
Clinical waste and needles dumped along Humber
A concerned lady says she is disgusted after seeing the amount of waste dumped along the Humber, which included “used tattoo needles”. She took the shocking images (below), which show […]
GP surgeries forced to store clinical waste in toilets
Pulse is reporting that GP surgeries in Derbyshire are being forced to store clinical waste in toilets after missed collections. Multiple GP surgeries have had to keep clinical waste in their […]
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 […]
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 […]