Filenews 1 April 2021 - by Angelos Nikolaou
Inspections and checks at dispensaries and medical centres on a Cyprus basis to determine whether they have been contracted with licensed plants for the management of hazardous waste produced in private dispensaries are being carried out by the Department of the Environment.
According to the competent Department, a large margin has been given for compliance with the legislation, to health care providers (private dispensaries) as waste producers who are obliged to deliver the infectious and toxic waste they produce to licensed medical waste management facilities, in accordance with the Waste Act.
In case of non-compliance, the inspectors of the Department will take the measures provided for by the legislation that include extrajudicial regulation up to €4,000 and/or criminal prosecution. Please note that the amount of out-of-court regulation determined by the inspector is proportionate to the seriousness of the offence but does not exceed €4,000.
Medical waste, and in particular infectious waste, has been one of the main problems related to the safe management of waste in recent years and therefore its unsafe disposal and management poses significant risks, not only to the environment but also to public health.
The Department of the Environment finds that many doctors do not comply with welfare legislation. It is noted that three management companies are currently active in Cyprus and the charging costs are not prohibitive. Specifically, they charge each doctor the amount of €30 per month to receive on a weekly basis the infectious and/or toxic waste.
It is noted that under the law they must contract with licensed bodies Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Centres, Dentistry, Medical Laboratories, Microbiological Laboratories, First Aid Centres, Drug Rehabilitation Centres, Veterinary Clinics, Blood Banks, Medical and Nursing Schools, University and other medical research centres. The Association of Hazardous Waste Management Enterprises complains that a number of doctors/doctors continue to break the law since it has not been contracted with a licensed medical waste management company as defined by the Waste Act.
Infectious waste is considered to be sharp objects such as needles, syringes, scalpels, pipettes, broken glass objects, micro-organism cultures, tools for cultivation, useless vaccines, etc., blood and blood products, other biological fluids and waste, materials that have come into contact with them, surgical waste such as bed linen, towels, limbs or bodily secretions.
Toxic waste includes chemotherapeutic and anti-neoplastic drugs, waste containing mercury, formaldehyde and other tissue fixants, photographic chemicals, radioactive nuclei, solvents such as xylens, alcohols, acetonitrile, etc., vapour antiseptics such as ethylene oxide, pump oils.
