Mervyn Taylor
Ceist:6 Mr. Taylor asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on his policy for the disposal of toxic waste.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Toxic Waste.
Overall policy in relation to the disposal of toxic waste is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for the Environment.
Hospital and clinical waste may contain very small quantities of chemicals, heavy metals and pharmaceutical products and it is my policy that this material is disposed of in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation contained in the report "Management of Waste from Hospitals".
With respect, the Minister did not answer my question. I asked what his policy is on the disposal of toxic waste and he did not give any information. Will he agree that radioactive waste must be disposed of in hospitals which are within the ambit of the Minister's Department. How does he control that? Does he control or monitor it? What quantities are there? How is this potentially dangerous material dealt with and controlled?
They are dealt with in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation on the management of waste from hospitals.
That is not an answer, that is just saying that it is dealt with properly. I want to know how it is dealt with and what becomes of it. Do inspectors in his Department go out and check it? This is potentially dangerous material consisting of X-ray residues, radioactive isotopes and other waste material from hospitals. What steps has the Minister taken to ensure that this material does not end up in dustbins or dumps? If inspectors check this waste how many are there? What do they do?
We keep in touch with the agencies but there are so many different kinds of waste in the health services——
That is true.
There are hazardous and non-hazardous wastes and, as I said, they are governed by World Health Organisation recommendations which we convey to the various health agencies and hospital authorities and they deal with them accordingly.
Who polices the implementation of these guidelines to the hospitals?
It is a matter for the hospitals concerned.
Has the Minister been in contact with local authorities on the disposal of toxic waste from hospitals? Is there a special means of disposing of that waste apart from leaving it to the local authority?
No, although I understand that local authorities have 1982 regulations governing the disposal of waste.
How many inspectors in the Minister's Department supervise the disposal of radioactive waste from hospitals and other medical institutions?
We are getting into a lot of detail here.
That is not included in the question.
There are none.