The Health Care Waste Forum Southern Africa

Are you as health care provider, tattoo artists, general practitioner, surgeon, medical institution or civilian aware of the legal implications of incorrect disposal of medical waste?

Do you provide medical related services without an understanding of the prescribed policies and regulation when it comes to medical waste disposal?

On the 16 and 17th of May 2011 the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa will hosts its 2nd Biennial Health Care Waste Summit and Expo 2011 in Johannesburg, Gauteng in an effort to promote awareness on environmental laws for medical waste generators.

Health Care Waste is a becoming a ever increasing problem in the Southern Africa as in many other countries. Over recent years there have been numerous press statements of health care risk waste being disposed of in an incorrect manner. People that have been most effected by health care risk waste have been the poor disadvantaged members of society. The incineration of medical waste together with the legal and logistical technicalities thereof has also caused much concern. In addition, previously, civil society had not been given a platform to voice their concerns regarding the impacts that health care waste and disposal has had on their quality of life, and only recently has civil society taken a stand to state that enough is enough, and have sought ways to voice their concerns in a legitimate manner. In addition, claims were also made stipulating that the biggest problem in the effective management of Heath Care Waste lies with risk awareness, public exposure, incinerator capacity and the increasing need for awareness of the problem within the health sector.

The unsafe disposal of health care waste (for example, contaminated syringes and needles) poses immense public health risks. Contaminated needles and syringes represent a particular threat as the failure to dispose of them safely may lead to dangerous recycling and repackaging which lead to unsafe reuse. Contaminated injection equipment may be scavenged from waste areas and dumpsites and either reused or sold to be used again. In addition to the public health risks, if not managed, direct reuse of contaminated injection equipment results in occupational hazards to health workers, waste handlers and scavengers. Where waste is dumped into areas without restricted access, children may come into contact with contaminated waste and play with used needles and syringes. Epidemiological studies indicate that a person who experiences one needle stick injury from a needle used on an infected source patient has risks of 30%, 1.8%, and 0.3% respectively of becoming infected with HBV, HCV and HIV.

The management of health-care waste requires increased attention and diligence to avoid the substantial disease burden associated with poor practice, including exposure to infectious agents and toxic substances. Incinerators provide an interim solution especially for developing countries where options for waste disposal such as autoclave, shredder or microwave are limited