Award Winning Approach to Medical Waste

23 November 2011

A clinical waste management system developed for University College London's (UCL) laboratories is saving 18% in disposal cost per tonne and reducing carbon emission per tonne by 27%.

According to out sourcing specialist MITIE, which helped develop the system, it diverted auto-claved clinical waste from High Temperature Incineration (HTI) to be treated at a waste to energy facility.

However, the volume of waste generated by the university is small fry by comparison to that generated by the National Health Service, where the company's managing director, Mike Taylor said that implementing such best practice could generate significant emission reduction and cost savings.

It is estimated that the NHS disposes of approximately 250,000 tonnes of clinical waste a year -1000 times the amount of clinical waste generated by UCL - costing the tax payer an estimated £90m a year.
 
Commenting on the award, Paul Monk, waste contract manager at UCL said: "This is a fitting reward for the progress that has been achieved in the last three years and demonstrates that by engaging with the University's community, real environmental benefits and cost savings can be achieved."

"It will encourage other universities to look at their laboratory waste and to do the same," he added.


Read More

Poor Medical Waste Disposal Standards Causing Health Problems in India
The improper disposal of bio-medical waste by several health centres poses a health hazard in the East Godavari District of the north coastal area of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Wood Waste Gasification Facility for Plymouth, UK
MITIE involoved in collaboration on a 40,000 tonne energy centre that will treat wood waste and supply both heat and power is to be built in Plymouth, UK.

Strategic Care: Finding an Action Plan for the Disposal of Medical Waste
Ghassan Obid explains that a range of medical waste treatment technologies are available, but before any of these options are adopted, medical facilities will need to assess the problem and devise a management strategy.