|
Press
Release
Consultation
on proposed clinical waste control scheme
The Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) today (November 1) released a
consultation paper to collect views on a proposed clinical
waste control scheme.
It is
set out at the consultation document that the Government intends
to control the collection and disposal of clinical waste through
legislative measures.
The control
will cover all clinical waste producers, collectors and disposal
facility operators.
A spokesman
for the EPD said: "This is to safeguard the health and safety
of the public and waste collection workers who may come into
contact with clinical waste."
The spokesman
pointed out that clinical waste, arising principally from
hospitals and clinics, is potentially dangerous since it can
spread disease because of the infectious nature of some wastes.
It can also cause injury through the presence of sharps such
as needles and scalpels.
At present,
hospitals and government clinics, as well as a number of private
medical practitioners, are already adopting practices that
are in line with the control scheme. However, to ensure the
proper collection and disposal of clinical waste by all stakeholders,
legislative control measures are considered necessary.
"Under
the proposed scheme, clinical waste collectors and operators
of clinical waste disposal facilities will be required to
obtain a licence from the Director of Environmental Protection
and comply with the licence conditions.
"All
clinical waste producers will be legally required to segregate
their clinical waste from other waste and to arrange for proper
collection and disposal at licensed disposal facilities,"
the spokesman noted.
Two Codes
of Practice will be issued to provide guidelines on the proper
management of clinical waste - one for waste collectors and
major clinical waste producers, and another for small clinical
waste producers.
Copies
of the consultation paper are available at the EPD, 28/F.,
Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. It
is also available from the EPD website at http://www.info.gov.hk/epd.
Comments
on the proposed control scheme should be sent in writing by
December 31, 2001 to the Waste Policy and Services Group of
the EPD. They can also be sent by fax to 2318 1877 or by email
to cwcs@epd.gov.hk.
Enquiries
on the consultation paper can be made at 2835 1200.
End/Thursday,
November 1, 2001
| 
