There is substantial evidence to suggest that the majority of the UK will face drought conditions in the year ahead. Even though the water companies have at last done something about plugging the many leaks in their system – at our expense – water shortages are likely.

The waste sector must play its part, and discussion with a client has served to highlight the extent of water wastage and the risks of misguided water economy.

Clinical waste management includes, for most contractors, a routine cart washing service. For some cart washing facilities, water re-use is included in the design and operation of washers while elsewhere water conservation has not been considered. Single cart washing stations are worst, but there is little option to abandon cart washing since this very basic hygiene precaution is essential. That is, however, no reason to waste this precious and costly resource.

Likewise, the washing/recycling of re-usable sharps bins. Though the protagonists claim substantial environmental advantage the use of water cannot be overlooked. Those who promote an ecological or environmental advantage of re-usable sharps containers over the more traditional plastic box consigned to an incinerator after just one cycle of use must demonstrate a water-wise washing operation.

And finally, the waste treatment process itself. Autoclave are thirsty beasts and though almost all but the oldest installations operate with high efficiency boilers many consume vast quantities of quench or cooling water that runs immediately to waste. This is unacceptable.

Cooling waters can and must be conserved for re-use through the use of heat exchanger. Nothing less is acceptable. Those who do not move forward in this was will bear heavy costs for the double whammy of water use and discharge, but should have their permits amended to ensure, within a reasonable time, that any necessary retrofitting of water conservation technologies are completed within a minimum period.

The Environment Agency is issuing grave warnings of drought conditions. The waste sector cannot continue to ignore its liberal use of this limited resource. Water will have to be preserved, and waste-related processes that continue to use unnecessarily large volumes of water may have to change.