“Flip your clinical waste stream”
So, an interesting product development, ‘The Flip’, from Wybone had recently caught my eye. Intended to extend the value of waste sack holders, these flexible and wipe-able magnetic covers sit […]
segregation errors
Saskatoon green initiative fades
Green initiatives in hospital practice can make valuable contributions, to the environment and to environmental protection, and to cost containment. But it can also increase costs and we, as a […]
Prescription drug residues in natural water sources
The world is rightly concerned about the presence of prescription drugs in natural water sources. Everywhere you look, in wastewater discharges from hospitals, in lakes and rivers, and in drinking water, […]
Sanctions and penalties for unsafe sharps disposal
There have been mutterings recently from the Scottish Parliament of sanctions to be held against healthcare professionals – doctors were singled out but this presumably embraces all – who fail on […]
Radioactive clinical wastes
Surprisingly, few clinical waste treatment facilities maintain radiation monitors and alarm systems. Limited largely to incinerator feed systems – who wants a cloud of radioactive particles released to atmosphere? – […]
Patient confidentiality & recycling
The NHS is going green, slightly, in small, slow steps, but it IS going green. Many items are reused when it is safe to do so, with expensive disposables side lined […]
How much waste after knee replacement surgery?
Knee replacement surgery produces more waste than family of four in one week. Operations to replace worn out knees in Canada are generating nearly half a million kilograms of surgical […]
iPad App errors
Today, I stumbled upon an iPhone and iPad App that offered guidance on health and safety in the social care sector. With some authority, the App presents a well-structured short guide […]
Hospital hotels?
The press are today full of comment about hospital hotels, a new – at least new to the UK – initiative to use hotels as a half-way house for patients […]
Psychiatric consequences of needlestick injury
Some time has passed since this paper by Green and Griffiths was published. Unsurprisingly, the professional journals and magazines, and the trades union RCN are up in arms about the impact […]
An ignominious end, before life has even begun
Care and disposal of the dead is becoming a hot topic at the moment. In St. Paul, Minnesota, the Regions Hospital has admitted a second stillborn baby was ‘discarded’ in […]
Radioactive sharps bin contamination at Ninewells
An independent inquiry has been demanded after radioactive waste was wrongly disposed of at Ninewells Hospital. Two weeks ago, a sharps bin containing radioactive waste was wrongly placed in a yellow […]
Pharmaceutical residues from clinical wastes?
Regulators and those who follow on their every word continue to be exercised by the question of pharmaceutical residues from clinical wastes. Of course, bulk pharmaceutical wastes from the pharmacy department or […]
‘Recova wrap’ recycling scheme for the NHS
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 […]
Hospital recycles operating room waste into park benches
A Brunswick, Maine, hospital is reported to be successfully recycling operating room waste into park benches. Mid Coast Hospital has launched a new recycling program that turns plastic waste from its […]
2010/32/EU – don’t use safety sharps?
In a surprisingly practical note to the The European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy: Science and Practice (EJHP) a UK pharmacist discusses the many situations occurring outside the immediate clinical environment where […]
How to make a bad situation worse
Basildon Hospital Trust have failed miserably to separate clinical from domestic-type refuse resulting in what is apparently widespread contamination of a Veolia site. Now, hospital porters who volunteered for the […]
Is that an elephant in the room?
Revision to legislation in the US State of New Jersey will prohibit health care institutions from discharging prescription medications into sewer or septic systems. How that will happen is pretty straightforward […]
Why so much paper?
Many sacks of clinical waste contain substantial amounts of paper waste. Some of it is secondary wrappings from sterile items and I have not problem with that, since separation is […]
Sharps waste found in domestic refuse from UK hospital
Basildon Hospital is under investigation for failing to properly dispose of potentially hazardous medical waste, including used syringes. The Environment Agency are ‘probing’ how syringes and other equipment used to drain […]
Reusable sharps containers
We are becoming accustomed to re-usable sharps containers, not least because of the bullish advertising of their sole manufacturer. But now, there might be a new kid on the block. […]
Colour coding of clinical wastes from domicillary care
The selection of colour coding for clinical waste containers, dictated by the notional properties of those wastes and in particular the risk of infection – yellow or orange – is rather […]
Lies, damn lies, and statistics?
Daniels International are now evaluating their Clinismart system in the UK and elsewhere. Surrounded by the full range of ‘in your face’ advertising that has been a feature of Daniels Sharpsmart […]
Plastics recycling from healthcare wastes
The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) has finalized an agreement with Stanford University Medical Center to begin a six-month pilot study to develop a better understanding of plastic waste characterization within healthcare facilities. […]
Complains about appalling state of hospital toilets
Toilets at the at the Royal Cornwall Hospital were in an “absolutely disgusting” state, according to a patient. Last updated: Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Managing Norovirus waste
Norovirus outbreaks continue to be a major seasonal problem and cause huge disruption to care services with substantial morbidity and mortality. What to do with Norovirus waste? Much waste will be destined for the toilet […]
Hospital worker makes needlestick compensation claim
9th May 2012 Suffering a needlestick injury can be extremely distressing for anyone affected. Solicitors recently represented a hospital employee who was injured at work in this way and he received compensation. Safety […]
Couch rolls
I had the misfortune of a hospital appointment yesterday, for a series of tests that too place in a modest sized room equipped with an examination couch and a whole […]
Source segregation – getting the process right
Much is said about source segregation of waste from clinical areas. A sometimes apoplectic response can be expected when inappropriate general waste items are found in an orange or yellow clinical waste […]
No wonder it’s so bad
Clinical waste management in the clinical environment should be managed to an exemplary standard in order to maintain hygiene standards and eliminate the hazards associated with sharps and sharps injury. But is that […]