Vol. 543 No. 2
398 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the dumping of hospital waste and confidential health documents in County Wicklow by four separate hospitals in contravention of the law. [26350/01]
In 1994 my Department produced a health services waste policy aimed at reducing the impact on the environment of waste production in hospitals and improving conditions for those handling the waste. The policy set out basic principles relating to the generation and management of waste. They included the segregation of waste into domestic type waste and the potentially hazardous fraction known as health care risk waste. A strategy of using non-incineration, shredding and decontamination technology was pursued for the health care risk waste.
Health care risk waste from virtually all publicly funded acute hospitals is now disposed of through a national contract. The contract specification covers the collection, treatment and final disposal of health care risk waste to the highest environmental and health and safety standards. The waste is processed in a shredding and disinfection plant which operates under an Environmental Protection Agency licence. The sterilised residue is disposed of to a licensed commercial landfill site under strict conditions. Guidance on the proper segregation and handling of health care waste was issued by the Department to health boards and major acute hospitals in 1999.
I understand that investigations are continuing by the relevant authorities into the alleged dumping of hospital waste and it would not be possible to comment on the alleged dumping in County Wicklow until the outcome of those investigations is known. I also understand that the Eastern Regional Health Authority has written to all hospitals in its area reiterating the above guidance.
