Dave Dingle - Cannon Hygiene Ltd

The Association and The Institute of Wastes Management (to which SMDSA are affiliated) have been particularly active in the healthcare waste field recently.

In June 2000, 'Healthcare Waste Management and Minimisation' was published on behalf of The IWM Healthcare Waste Management and Minimisation Working Group, which includes representation from the Association.  This new guidance document draws together developments and viewpoints to formulate a best practice guidance document, and signposts to other relevant work. The Working Group has wider representation than previous documents, and reflects the greater practical and technical expertise of its members.  To develop further, the it has now been constituted into the Steering Group for an IWM Special Interest Group (SIG) on healthcare wastes. This provides opportunities for interested parties to share their knowledge on an ongoing basis through special meetings.

In October 2000, with an SMDSA speaker talking on definitions, guidance and relevant legislation, the Institute offered its first two day course on 'The Management of Healthcare Wastes', which was widely attended, leading to two further courses during 2001, to which SMDSA continued to provide speakers and support.

Attended by representatives of several SMDSA members, IWM jointly with NHS, Environment Agency, Department of Health and other organisations hosted 'The Healthcare Prevention & Minimisation Conference' in March 2001. This focussed on the above document, and featured the recently published 'Healthcare Waste Minimisation ' Compendium of Good Practice' (NHS Estates).  The Environment Agency also previewed their forthcoming guidance since published in draft for comment, and other reports on clinical waste they are to publish. 

SMDSA was significantly involved in the IWM Workshops on 'Healthcare Waste in The Community' in October 2001 providing both speaker and chairman in Shrewsbury and two speakers at Edinburgh.

SMDSA members have contributed a series of articles to the Institute's Journal 'Wastes Management'; In the March special feature, reviewing the development of clinical waste guidance to date and looking to expectations for the future.  A further contribution has been provided as feature for the Dec 2001 issue providing a further update on the use of rigid containers for carriage of clinical wastes, following a continuing flood of enquiries on the subject.

Healthcare Waste Management and Minimisation' (IWM Business Services Ltd) is available at £15 from IWM Business Services Ltd, 9 Saxon Court, St Peters Gardens, Northampton, NN1 1SX (Telephone: 01604 620426, e-mail: iwm@iwm.co.uk)

Details of Management of Healthcare Wastes IWM training courses are available from the same address.