Ooops – patient data files out with waste
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust breached the Data Protection Act by accidentally destroying 10,000 archived records, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has said. Last updated: Sunday, June 29, 2014
Blenkharn Environmental
Single use vs reusable sharps containers
In a carefully managed PR release, information of a presentation given at a Chicago environmental meeting reports a claim of reduced CO2 emission and lowered environmental impact from reusable sharps disposal […]
How not to pick up discarded syringes and needles
Sussex County (US) beaches are still littered with wastes including clinical waste. Though most reports assume that syringes and needles are washed ashore with on the tide there is little evidence […]
Prison needle exchange scheme?
There is no doubt that in US and UK prisons, needles are a widespread problem and major health risk. The risk of sharps injury is high since needles are not […]
Needles found on busy Flintshire street
A news report tells of a number of needles found with black refuse sack on a street in Flintshire, and the finder just happened to be the local mayor! With […]
Farming pharmaceuticals
The use of drugs in farm animals is strictly controlled to prevent the appearance of drug residues in foods for human consumption. Quite rightly, that does not eliminate the use […]
Medicine drop boxes
Medicine drop boxes may be a practical option for the disposal of unwanted medicinal products. Sited in convenient locations, they would receive prescription and non-prescription products removing wastes accumulating in […]
Into the waste bin?
A miscarriage is always a tragedy and our hearts will go out to those involved. However, it is an inevitable consequence that miscarriage results in a disposal requirement that may be […]
Waste audit
In a nice piece posted recently on editNet, the SRCL sales & marketing director says that many NHS Trusts have traditionally separated out their waste streams because they believe it’s the […]
Superbugs escape through hospital sewers
Antibiotic-resistant pathogens born in hospitals may enter the wider environment through the facilities’ sewers, although the magnitude of the danger remains unclear. A team from the Federal University of Saõ […]
Wastewater treatment to remove pharma residues
The removal of pharma residues from waste treatment process waters or more generally from wastewaters from hospitals and nursing homes, from intensive agricultural facilities and perhaps even from community wastewater […]
Plastic surgeon ‘banks’ on fat
A plastic surgeon is opening a ‘fat bank’ that will allow patients to store their own body fat for future use. Dr Jeffrey Hartog, from Seminole County, FL, has developed […]
Healthcare waste management – a global perspective
UN investigator says medical waste mostly unregulated, often dumped illegally, risks ignored “The Washington Post today quotes a human rights investigator for the United Nations who says up to a quarter of […]
Cutting through the ….
Advertising flimflam is usually quite obvious. Bold and exaggerated claims and highly selective quotes clipped out of context are usually easy to spot. The law says much about the use […]
Pharmaceuticals in drinking water
Quite rightly, there is great concern about the presence of trace concentrations of certain – and realistically, about the presence of any – pharmaceuticals in drinking water. Taking the broader […]
Workwear hygiene for waste handlers – Can you help?
Workwear hygiene for waste handlers is a largely ignored issue but one that is nonetheless important and worthy of further investigation. We know that the external surfaces of most clinical […]
Vietnam recycles clinical waste plastics to household utensils
Once more, a story has reached the news of plastics recovered from clinical wastes being recycled to teh manufacture of plastic plates, cups and other utensils. A previous story was […]
Errors in logic – community responses to planning aplications
Complaint and criticism of proposals and applications for clinical waste plant often reveal deeply rooted opposition that demonstrate, inevitably, serious errors in logic. This TV film report of such a […]
Disposal-related sharps injuries
“Almost 200 staff suffered injuries from contaminated needles or sharp medical instruments at the region’s main hospitals in just 12 months. “Hull And East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said 197 […]
Advice and support for clinical waste management?
Who provides advice and support to producers for aspects of clinical waste management? There are always many questions, and access to information can be troublesome. Who to ask? A waste […]
Confidential paper disposal
It is something of a puzzle that companies managing clinical wastes don’t extend their services to clients by offering to dispose also of confidential paper waste. While for the larger […]
Tissue waste disposal
Tissue waste disposal is a sometimes difficult issue, since patients may have their own view on disposal, perhaps of an amputated limb, or of a placenta, than do healthcare professionals. Last […]
Community pharmaceuticals
Supporting effective disposal of pharmaceutical wastes from communities makes a substantial contribution to minimising environmental pollution secondary to disposal via sewer and the survival of pharmaceutical residues in wastewater treatment […]
Drug waste in natural waters
Drug residues present and persisting in natural water is an effective marker for a potentially serious adverse environmental effect. A series of recent studies suggests that pharmaceutical factories are not […]
£20k savings on clinical waste disposal
Northampton General Hospital claims savings of around £20,000 on clinical waste disposal through their initiatives to drive enhanced source segregation and exclude inapproriate items into clinical waste containers. “We’ve asked […]
BD launches family of syringes addressing environmental impact
Becton Dickinson (BD) are to launch a family of syringes addressing environmental impact as well as a range of user benefits and clinical needs. Last updated: Friday, May 10, 2019
A Word Search of Waste
An earlier Clinical Waste Discussion Forum newsletter had included a Word Search of Waste that proved to be very popular. So, after several requests and reminders we have created another one. […]
Health Minister announces new watchdog to minimize medical wastage
The current Health Minister Lord Howe has announced an intention to establish a new supervisory body in an attempt to minimize around £300m lost within the NHS each year due […]
Resomation for tissue waste disposal?
Apparently, the funeral industry is the second biggest source of pollution after fossil fuel fired power stations, but an alternative to cremation could reduce the UK’s carbon footprint. Last updated: […]
London riots
It is difficult to imagine quite what the link might be between the recent London riots and clinical waste. Pulse is reporting that out-of-hours GPs and their deputising services were forced to reduce home visits […]