WASTE MANAGEMENT
and scanned at various stages along the process – from collection to disposal, to confirm that the waste is being treated correctly.
Category A waste
During transportation, the waste has to remain segregated, and must be transported in accordance with the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations. The rules for Category A waste, which is waste known or suspected to be contaminated with pathogens presenting the most severe risk of infection – from an Ebola patient, for example – are more rigorous, as this type of waste poses a higher risk when being transported. Where possible, Category A waste should be treated on site to be rendered as ‘non-dangerous goods’ before being moved. If this can’t be done, the hospital or clinic must follow a more stringent waste packaging and disinfection protocol, and the waste can only be transported after approval has been granted by the Department for Transport. A specialist contractor such as Stericycle is required, as the waste must be transported directly from the healthcare facility to the incinerator.
Waste disposal methods and sustainability
Healthcare waste can be treated or disposed of in a number of ways, all of which are designed to render safe the hazardous properties of the waste. In the UK, the treatment processes in operation all use heat in some form to treat the waste, for example by combusting the waste in an incinerator, or by disinfecting it in a steam treatment plant. The clinical waste management industry has worked hard in recent years to mitigate its impact on the environment, investing millions of pounds in ‘greener’, cutting-edge
Stericycle uses tracking technology, which enables waste containers to be tagged and scanned at various stages along the process – from collection to disposal – to confirm that the waste is being treated correctly.
technologies and facilities that divert waste from landfill and reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. Because of this, the treatment options for clinical waste are broadening.
Landfill the last option
In the waste hierarchy, which sets out the legal order of options for waste treatment, landfill is the very last option. So, for waste that cannot be reused or recycled, incineration is the preferable alternative to landfill, and for some waste – such as anatomical – incineration is currently the only option. Incineration is an effective way of treating medical waste, as the high temperature used destroys pathogens and toxins, and reduces the volume of the waste considerably. Additionally, the
combustion involved in the incineration processed generates energy in the form of steam and heat, which can be repurposed. At Stericycle, all our incinerators are Energy from Waste (EfW). Steam from seven of these incinerators provides heating for hospitals, and steam from a further two powers the wash lines for disinfection services.
Emissions limits
While incineration isn’t regarded as a carbon-friendly option, the energy generated is used in place of that produced from fossil fuels. It also does not emit methane, only carbon dioxide, whereas landfill waste produces both (methane is more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide).
A Stericycle driver scanning containers, thus ensuring traceability. January 2019 Health Estate Journal 65
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