Michael Joe Cosgrave
Question:12 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Health the present cost to the health services of disposal of medical waste; if he will outline the main methods used; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Waste Disposal.
Joseph Doyle
Question:22 Mr. Doyle asked the Minister for Health if he will make capital allocation to the Southern Health Board in order that they can replace the outdated unsafe incinerator at Cork Regional Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Eric J. Byrne
Question:56 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the criticisms of procedures for the disposal of clinical waste in some Dublin hospitals, expressed in a recent report presented to the environment sub-committee of Dublin Corporation; if he has had, or plans to have, any discussions with Dublin hospitals to improve procedures for the disposal of such potential hazardous waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Bernard Allen
Question:116 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health when he will sanction a grant for the setting up of a new and more modern incinerator at Cork Regional Hospital.
Bernard Allen
Question:117 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will list the number of incinerators operating in hospitals throughout the country; and if he will identify the incinerators that comply with existing German and British, as well as EC, standards.
Bernard Allen
Question:118 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will carry out a survey of hospitals in the country to establish the method of disposal of clinical waste.
Bernard Allen
Question:119 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he is considering the setting up of a national hospital waste management plan to ensure the safe and efficient management of waste.
Gerry O'Sullivan
Question:120 Mr. G. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to provide a central incinerator in the Southern Health Board region, comparable to the one planned for the Dublin area to dispose of clinical wastes, in view of the need to upgrade the present ones in operation at the Cork Regional Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Frank Fahey
Question:121 Mr. F. Fahey asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the pollution being caused in Galway city by the chimney at University College Hospital, Galway; if he accepts that pollution from a public institution is unacceptable; and if he will make the necessary finance available as a matter of urgency for the installation of a proper incinerator at the hospital in order to correct this major problem which is causing much discomfort to residents in the vicinity of the hospital.
Jim Mitchell
Question:122 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if there are any regulations governing the location and operation of incinerators in hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Peter Barry
Question:123 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Health when it is proposed to provide funding for a replacement incinerator at the Cork Regional Hospital.
Bernard Allen
Question:126 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he proposes to investigate the operation of hospital incinerators in view of the fears expressed by the residents of Bishopstown, Cork, regarding the incinerator at Cork Regional Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 22, 56, 116 to 123, inclusive, and 126 together.
I am aware of the report referred to by Deputy Byrne and the public concern regarding the disposal of clinical waste arising in hospitals. Officials of my Department and the health boards are currently re-examining the options for disposing of hospital waste in the light of proposed new stricter EC environmental emission standards. I accept that there are problems associated with present incineration arrangements and the study will assess possible locations for central incinerators and alternative processes to incineration. The needs of all areas, including of course Dublin, Cork and Galway, will be taken into account in this study and the results will form the basis for a national clinical waste management plan. I cannot anticipate the recommended method of clinical waste disposal which will emerge from the study but cost considerations would tend to suggest a solution based on a small number of centralised facilities around the country.
Detailed data on the current costs and methods of disposal of medical waste and on the number of hospital incinerators currently being operated are not readily available. My Department have requested the health agencies to supply up-to-date information under these headings. It is safe to assume, however, that none of the incinerators in use would comply with the very low emission level standards specified in the current EC draft proposals for hazardous waste incineration.
The current recommended practice is that hospital waste be segregated into clinical and non-clinical components, the clinical waste being sent to landfill sites. The operation of hospital incinerators is subject to the regulatory provisions of the Air Pollution Act, 1987.
I can assure the Deputies that every effort is being made by my Department to implement as quickly as possible a hospital waste disposal policy that will overcome the difficulties associated with current disposal practices and comply fully with the demanding requirements of modern environmental standards.
Will the Minister indicate the time frame within which he envisages we can comply with standards in this area? Would he agree it is very worrying that we have incinerators which are producing acids, toxic metals and other compounds which, according to international standards, are hazardous? Will he indicate to the House the degree of urgency he is giving to this issue?
I have already made it clear to my Department that there is a degree of urgency about this matter and that many of the incinerators attached to hospitals fall below standards and are causing a serious problem. Once we know the scale of the problems and the options in regard to disposal we will decide on the time frame.
Would the Minister not agree that the incinerator at the Cork Regional Hospital which is antiquated, overloaded and inefficient is a health hazard to the surrounding area? In view of his previous statement that he will carry out a study, may I ask the Minister if that study will be undertaken in the context of an overall national waste disposal plan or if it will be carried out by his Department? Would he agree it is about time money was spent to replace many of the unsafe incinerators throughout the country? What we want is action, not a study.
The Deputy adverted to Cork Regional Hospital. He has gone from the general to the particular.
Question No. 123 refers to Cork Regional Hospital.
Gabh mo leithscéal.
We cannot approach this issue in a haphazard way. We have to examine the issue properly so that we will know in what direction to go. We cannot deal with individual incinerators separately. We must look at the overall problem, the costs involved and how the problem can be dealt with effectively.
Would the Minister not agree that regardless of what study is carried out an incinerator will be located in the Cork area and that the incinerator at the Cork Regional Hospital is antiquated and is causing grave concern to many people in Cork city? This incinerator needs to be replaced. When it is obvious that the study will show that an incinerator should be located in Cork the Minister should install the incinerator there now instead of waiting for the report.
I wish to point out to Deputy Barry that the incinerators being offered now would not comply with the stricter EC environmental emission standards. Therefore, we could find ourselves in further trouble. Tenders were invited for some incinerators but they did not comply with the EC environmental standards.
Tenders should be invited for incinerators which will comply with these standards.
We have to know exactly where we are going. This will be done with great haste. I accept that the position in Cork is serious and the same applies to St. James's in Dublin. To put an incinerator in place now that would not meet the requirements could result in further problems arising. I will consider the matter seriously and urgently.
There are a number of Deputies offering. I will call the Deputies and I hope they will be brief.
Has the Minister had discussions with the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, considering that at present she is drafting a waste management Bill which hopefully will be law this year? Is the Minister aware of any hospital or health board who are currently exporting toxic waste from this jurisdiction?
Discussions are taking place with the Department of the Environment. I am not aware of any toxic or clinical waste being exported. However, I will ask my Department again about that matter.
Would the Minister not agree that his decision to site a central clinical waste incinerator in St. James's Hospital is an absolute disgrace because this is an inappropriate site for what is essentially an industrial process? Would the Minister agree that the staff and patients of St. James's Hospital, as well as the residents in the area, should not be obliged to accept the clinical waste from every home, hospital and private hospital in the city, such as the Blackrock Clinic, the Mater Private Hospital and the private hospital at St. Vincent's? Why would the Minister impose such a penalty on the people of the inner city when this process is more akin to an industrial waste disposal project? Would the Minister, in conclusion——
I think the Deputy has made his point adequately if not eloquently.
Would the Minister give the House an assurance that he will stop this project for St. James's Hospital, as he is the only person who has power to do so?
Deputy Byrne is well aware of statements I made and that I met the residents' associations to whom I gave assurances that nothing would take place without full consultation with them. Despite that fact he tried to create problems in the area in a destructive and negative fashion. I gave assurances in writing and publicly and I fail to see why the Deputy is taking such a negative attitude. He would be much better employed by adopting a positive approach and showing genuine concern for the needs and concerns of the people rather than stirring up unnecessary trouble.
Would the Minister confirm that no low level radioactive waste is shipped from the hospitals to Sellafield? My information is that that is happening. I would ask the Minister whether steps will be taken to find some other way for disposing low level radioactive waste?
I will look into that matter and communicate with the Deputies.
Would the Minister tell the House how people can feel reassured by anything he says considering that subsequent to an assurance we discovered that contracts were already out to tender to four companies? Would the Minister tell the House that he does not intend to take on board any of the proposals submitted to him?
I assure the Deputy that the tenders were invited before I came to office. As the Deputy is fully aware, I gave specific assurances that no decision would be made in respect of any tender for an incinerator without full consultation with the public. I have arranged for liaison between the resident's association and an engineer in my Department. I said that a study would be carried out of a city of comparable size in Britain to see the measures employed there. The results of such a study will be shown to the residents concerned and nothing will take place behind their backs. I will be making a statement on this matter shortly. I would ask the Deputy to be much more constructive in his approach to this problem and to please cease being negative and destructive.
A final question from Deputy Allen.
Would the Minister not agree that consultation is intended only with a view to pursuing the programme?
Please, Deputy Byrne, desist.
Since the Minister has admitted that the incinerator at Cork Regional Hospital is unsafe, would he order that that incinerator be closed down and that the waste currently being produced in the Cork area be stored until such time as an incinerator that meets with European standards has been acquired?
I did not say that the incinerator is unsafe; I said it does not meet the standards, and that is very different.
The Minister said so in an Adjournment debate.
The incinerator does not meet the standards, which are very strict. However, I will look into the matter. As I have said, the tenders put forward for new incinerators did not meet the standards of the EC directives.
That means that the documents were wrongly drawn up.
i will look into the matter of the incinerator in Cork and if it is unsafe I will certainly do something about it. I would tell Deputy Byrne that I was in the Soviet Union, with which the Deputy's party had very close affiliations, and the structures there did not measure up to the required standards.
That disposes of questions for today.
On a point of order, I have waited patiently for the reply to my Question No. 13, which is the next one, and I would ask the House to agree to it being taken, particularly in view of the fact that priority questions took up some of the time of ordinary questions.
I would be glad to facilitate the Deputy if the House so agrees.