Drive launched to enforce hospital waste rules

LAHORE
THE Environment Protection Department (EPD), Punjab has kicked off a massive drive against all public and private sector hospitals and pathology laboratories for implementation of the hospital waste management rules (HWMR).
Sources said EPD Provincial Secretary Dr Iqbal Chohan passed strict instructions to all the District Officers (Environment) to initiate the drive and seal all those hospitals and labs which are not following or implementing HWMR without any discrimination.
Sources claimed that non-implementation of these rules was resulting in spread of contagious diseases in the masses especially various forms of hepatitis. Following the instructions, DO (Environment) raided at Naz Hospital situated in Ichhra and sealed the premises. Sources said dengue larvae was also found from the hospital after which an FIR was launched against the owner of the hospital in Ichhra Police Station.
Sources in the EPD said that a similar campaign was launched by EPD in year 2009 during which it registered 955 cases against public and private sector hospitals as well as pathological laboratories. Sources said out of these 955, only 171 cases were finalised and sent to the Environmental Tribunal for hearing.
Sources said in the recent letter, Secretary EPD has directed all District Officers (Environment) to start checking of all public and private hospitals as well as pathological laboratories. Special instructions were given regarding the checking of those hospitals and laboratories against which action was initiated in the previous campaign.
EPD officials said all the big and small hospitals, medical centres, clinics, pathology laboratories and other health related businesses were bound to submit the details of their ways of disposing of the clinical and medical waste as well as equipment used on their premises. They said all these were also bound to get the membership of the collection system of the government for disposing of the hazardous hospital waste safely.
EPD officials said in case any of the hospitals or laboratories was not complying with the Hospital Waste Management Rules 2005, they would be issued a notice under the Environmental Laws. The DOs were also asked to send cases of those the Environmental Tribunals for legal action for not implementing the HWMR 2005.
EPD sources said the provincial metropolis had already become a hub of hospital waste recycling industry, which posed a serious threat to the people as well as the workers involved in this industry. They claimed that the major reason behind spread of this trade was the failure in implementation of Hospital Waste Management Rules 2005.
Experts said reuse of hospital waste posed a serious threat to the citizens’ health besides the workers and other people affiliated with the recycling industry in Lahore. “If infectious waste is not destroyed properly, it would cause many fatal diseases like Hepatitis and AIDS,” Dr Rauf, a senior doctor said, adding that the waste also caused skin, respiratory and eye diseases.
Sources revealed that private parties were also bringing tons of contagious and infectious hospital waste from across the province in the city for recycling purposes. Sources said the rackets involved in this illegal trade were bringing hospital waste pack in sacks through trucks.
A large number of plastic recycling industries, situated along the Bund Road, Shahdara, North Lahore and other remote areas, use this infected waste. Sources said plastic industry was manufacturing various items from the recycled hospital waste, which included plastic furniture, plastic toys, plastic utensils, bottles and jars and etc.
Director EPD, Naseem-ur-Rehman said HWMR were applicable on all hospitals, public or private, pathology labs and clinics and they should have to dispose of their waste as per the Hospital Waste Management Rules. He said the hospital waste includes infectious material containing pathogens in sufficient concentrations or quantities that, if exposed, can cause diseases. This includes waste from surgery and autopsies with infectious diseases. Other types of wastes are disposable needles, syringes, saws, blades, broken glasses, nails or any other item that could cause a cut, tissues, organs, body parts, human flesh, foetuses, blood, body fluids, drugs, chemicals, solids, liquids and gaseous waste contaminated with radioactive substances used in diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
He added that under the Hospital Waste Management Rules, 2005, risk waste shall be separated from non-risk waste at wards, bedsides, operation theatre, laboratory or any other room in the hospital where the waste is generated by a doctor, nurse or other person. The rules clearly mention that all disposable material and medical equipment such as syringes, needles, plastic bottles, drips, blood bags and etc shall be cut or broken so that they cannot be used again, he maintained.
He said under the rules, sharps shall be placed in metal or high density plastic containers resistant to penetration and leakage and these containers shall be coloured yellow and marked “Danger! Contaminated Sharps”.
About the pharmaceutical waste, he said the rules clearly stated that large quantities of pharmaceutical waste shall be returned to the suppliers while small quantities shall be crushed and placed in yellow waste containers.
About the chemical waste, he said the rules mention the chemical waste and waste with high content of mercury or cadmium shall not be incinerated, but shall be placed in chemical resistant containers and sent to specialised treatment facilities. Radioactive waste, which has to be stored to allow decay to background level, shall be placed in waste bags, in a large yellow container or drums, he maintained. The container or drum shall be labelled showing the radio nuclide’s activity on a given date and the period of storage required and marked “Radioactive Waste” with the radiation symbol. About waste collection, the rules said sanitary staff and sweepers shall, when handling waste, wear protective clothing at all times, including face masks, industrial aprons, leg protectors, industrial boots and disposable or heavy duty gloves.
Naseem-ur-Rehman said the DOs were directed to first issue notices to the hospitals and labs for non-compliance, then issue EPO and finally their cases will be sent to the Environmental Tribunal for criminal proceedings. He said the DOs were also directed to seal the hospitals/labs for serious violations. He said the campaign would take momentum in coming days.