The Association has launched a Code of Practice requiring, for the first time, both current and future members to comply in full with a set of Trading, Environmental and Legislative standards, and empowers the SMDSA Council to investigate complaints against members by stakeholders, and if necessary, request corrective action and / or take punitive action. A copy of the Code is available on the web site or on request.

As of 31 December 1999, employers involved in the transport of goods will be required to appoint vocationally qualified Dangerous Goods Safety Advisers (DGSA). Employers who will be effected are those who consign dangerous goods for transport and load the goods themselves or are operators of vehicles carrying dangerous goods or those who load or unload dangerous goods while they are in transit to their final destination. Employers can be exempted from the requirement if the transport of dangerous goods is not their main or secondary activity and are only occasionally involved...

Late 1999 saw the publication of Safe Disposal of Clinical Waste by The Services Advisory Committee of The Health & Safety Commission (HSE Books 1999), a long awaited revision of the 1992 publication. The new document however does not deal solely with health & safety issues but also covers risks to the environment, having been produced jointly by Health Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) and The Environment Agency (EA) and agreed by The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). In expanding and revising the previous publication, it also replaces Waste Management Paper Number 25 'Clinical Waste'...