Vol. 470 No. 6
56 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment the steps, if any, he is taking, in conjunction with the Department of Health, to resolve the problem of the disposal of toxic clinical waste, following the action by the United Kingdom Environmental Agency in stopping such waste imports on 9 October 1996. [19635/96]
It has been the deliberate policy of the Government to improve the environmental management of healthcare risk waste. Accordingly, the use of most hospital waste incinerators has been terminated. A comprehensive programme for the management of healthcare waste is being advanced jointly by the Department of Health and the Northern Ireland authorities; this will involve the early establishment of non-incineration treatment facilities in our jurisdiction.
The situation regarding exports of Irish wastes to the UK is set out in the reply to Question No. 38 of 9 October 1996. In addition the Department of Health has now agreed in principle to the export of certain healthcare risk waste to the Netherlands so as to alleviate the present temporary shortage of treatment facilities. I would emphasise that current arrangements present no environmental or public health risk.
