Nobody wants to fund collections of clinical waste from the community. Though some companies make a business out of ‘smalls’ it operates generally on small margins and yet is costly to the PCTs, and now their new era replacements, and to Local Authorities.
Some GP surgeries will receive properly packaged sharps, though often failing to provide on prescription those sharps bins that diabetics will should use. Likewise, some high street pharmacists will accept used needles, as do some hospitals as part of their commitment to outpatient support from diabetic clinics and the like.
It the latter case, patients may take their boxed needles at the next outpatient visit, or drop them off at reception. This creates its own problems since the receptionist will not be able to issue by prescription a new sharps bin, creating problems of continuity. In every case, the diversity of options makes administration and funding something of a nightmare.
The US is far behind, since until recently used sharps have entered the trash in the absence of any better and more organised route for safe disposal. But that is changing. For most, the solution has been to prohibit disposal of sharps in household garbage, and to provide sharps safes in accessible locations, at the Police of fire station, at a local supermarket – in the Mall – or at the local County building.
Their are economies of scale. Most self-injecting patients, whether diabetic or others, and almost all IV drug users are sufficiently ambulant that there is no barrier to a visit to the local sharps disposal point. With a network of conveniently located and accessible disposal points, there are logistics advantages as well as savings in administration for funding arrangements. This might also capture some of those ‘private enterprise’ needles from IV drug users and those injecting bodybuilding steroids and tanning supplements that is now on the increase.
The advantages are many and obvious. Perhaps all that stands in the way of this improvement is predictable administrative inertia and public perception issues that can stimulate objections to needle safes placed in locations across the community.
But it seems a good idea, and far better than the present mish-mash arrangements that are many and varied, and subject to frequent change as if deliberately to confuse the service users.
Ireland has not been backward at making the most of EU laws and subsidies though it has now found itself in deep financial peril as a consequence.
The most recent have occurred in Washington State, netting 420 pounds of medical waste during a four-hour take-back event organised by the Battle Ground Police Department [great name!] which included 267 pounds of controlled substances which will be shipped to the Drug Enforcement Administration for destruction.
“London’s Evening Standard reports that medical (clinical) waste including syringes, blood-filled tubes and pig snouts is being dumped on the pavement by Harley Street firms.
It’s the bane of many waste treatment facilities. Blue spun (non-woven) polypropylene wrap often ties its way around the best of shredders causing many hold-ups and some equipment damage during shredding of autoclave floc, and in automated feed systems for autoclaves, augers, microwave and incinerator plant.
tly used sharps, can be found on the streets of London. But today’s news report from the BBC is of a placenta found by London dog walker – perhaps more likely found by the dog than the walker – on a footpath near Tooting Bec Athletics Track, south London.
NHS Shetland is launching an investigation after a Vidlin resident found a medical waste bag in the ditch near her home last week.
