Concerns raised over clinical waste storage at Menston ambulance station

Nearby residents raised concerns last week after spotting large shipping containers in the station’s car park being loaded with clinical waste bags.

“Over the last couple of weeks it appears that Yorkshire Ambulance Service have been loading these containers up with bags that are taken off of the ambulances when they return to the station.

“Not only are the clinical waste bags from the ambulances based out of Menston station stored in these containers, but bags from other ambulance stations ,are being brought here too.

“After asking some questions I was told that normally these are taken away by a contractor to be incinerated but, for some reason, the ambulance service has not renewed the contract with them so they have had to resort to storing the waste locally for the time being.”

He added: “These bags contain vomit, blood, other bodily fluids and stained clothing and are a major hazard and yet I have seen bags leaking when the men who are paid to collect them and put them into the yellow containers, move them.”

Yorkshire Ambulance Service has confirmed that clinical waste was being stored at the station as a stop-gap measure – but says the practice is now ending.

A spokeswoman said: “The Trust has recently changed to a new contractor for the disposal of clinical waste.

“Some authorised short-term interim arrangements have been put in place to ensure that we can continue to manage our waste safely whilst the new service is fully embedded across the county.

“The use of temporary secure storage containers is isolated to Menston Ambulance Station and these will be emptied this week and will not be used in the future.”

 

https://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk/news/17240971.concerns-raised-over-clinical-waste-storage-at-menston/

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