Bernard Allen
Question:75 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding the disposal of clinical waste from public hospitals; and the percentage of clinical waste recycled. [4896/00]
Written Answers. - Waste Disposal.
The majority of the healthcare risk waste which arises in hospitals has been exported for incineration abroad.
The future plan is that the vast bulk of this waste will be treated in Ireland by a shredding and decontamination process with a small proportion of waste exported to Holland or Belgium for incineration. To this end a joint waste management board, representative of my Department and the Department of Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland, has appointed a contractor to provide the service of collection, transport, treatment and disposal of healthcare risk waste throughout the island of Ireland. This service will commence early in March.
At present none of the clinical waste is recycled. However, under the new service arrangements, it is envisaged that up to 80% of the treated waste will be recycled.