Draft waste guidance for NHS to be made simpler
Draft guidance on classifying
and handling health care waste in England and Wales is to be reconsidered to make it more simple and straightforward
(PJ, 5 November 2005, p564).
Overall, the 200 respondents to a public consultation on the draft version
thought that guidance was needed, but most thought that the original
document was too complex and that people and organisations producing
waste needed a simpler approach. The original draft guidance covered
118 pages.
Concerns centred on the definitions of different types of waste, such
as clinical waste, hazardous infectious waste and offensive waste. The
greatest concern was reserved for proposals for separating waste contaminated
with cytotoxic or cytostatic drugs.
As a result, manufacturers of cytotoxics and cytostatics are to be asked
to clearly identify such products. Users will then be allowed to make
their own decision on whether to separate waste cytotoxics from other
medicines. The same will apply to contaminated sharps. Non-segregation
will mean that all drug or sharps waste will be classified as hazardous
waste.
The Department of Health expects to publish final guidance by October. |
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