The Hindu : New Delhi News : WHO outlines waste disposal policy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 16, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

WHO outlines waste disposal policy

By Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 15. Insisting that medical establishments clean up their act and become more health-conscious in disposing of their waste, the World Health Organisation has come out with a policy paper on "Health-Care Waste Management'' which though not binding on establishments, outlines good practices, besides laying stress on the revised stands of WHO on disposal of hospital waste.

The policy paper discusses various issues including how unsafe health-care waste management leads to death and disability and balancing risks to make sound policy decisions on its management. Speaking about the guiding policy principle, a WHO official said: "In view of the challenges represented by health-care waste and its management, WHO activities are oriented by four major policies. These are preventing health risks associated with exposure to health-care waste for both health workers and public, supporting global efforts to reduce the amount of noxious emissions released into the atmosphere to defer the onset of global changes, supporting the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) that aims to protect both human and the environment from the adverse effects of POPs and reducing exposure to toxic pollutants associated with the combustion process through the promotion of appropriate practices for high temperature.''

Also, to better understand the problem of health-care management, WHO guidance recommends that countries conduct assessments prior to any decision on the health-care management methods to be chosen.

Listed in the policy paper are three groups of assessment options available including short, medium and long-term programmes. "For short term we have proposed that production of all syringes components be made of the same plastic to facilitate recycling, selection of PVC-free medical devices, identification and development of recycling options wherever possible (for plastic and glass), research and promotion of new technology or alternative to small-scale incineration,'' explained the official.

WHO is also trying to reduce the use of incinerator worldwide, while stating that an ideal situation would be without any. But it adds that "until transitional and developing countries have access to health-care waste management options that are safer to the environment and health, incineration may be an acceptable response when used appropriately. Key elements of appropriate operation of incinerators include effective waste reduction, waste segregation, placing incinerators away from populated areas, proper operation, periodic maintenance and staff training and management.''

WHO has also asked for a reduced number of unnecessary injections to reduce the amount of hazardous health-care waste that needs to be treated.

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