1. Waste disposal Flashcards
(14 cards)
Define ‘waste’
Waste is defined by the Environment Act 1995 as:
‘Any substance or object which the holder discards or intends to, or is required to discard’
Who regulates the correct storage, transport and disposal of waste?
The Environmental Act 1990.
Under section 34 a duty of care is imposed to anyone who produces, transports, imports, keeps, stores or disposes of waste. They must do so responsibly to avoid a penalty of up to £5000 if convicted in the Magistrates Court.
What is included as Hazardous Waste?
- Cytotoxic or Cytostatic pharmaceuticals
- Contaminated Sharps (inc needles, syringes, ampoules, sharp contaminated instruments)
- Laboratory Waste (cultures)
- Infectious materials
- Photographic materials (chemical used to develop xrays)
- Animal parts/cadavers known you be infectious
What is included as Non-Hazardous Waste?
- Whole pharmaceuticals as out of date medicines
- Dressings/swabs with blood
- Offensive Waste (urine/faeces/pus /bodily fluids)
- Animal Tissues (organs/cadavers/body parts)
- Animal bedding
- Aprons and gloves
- General waste
How is Infectious waste disposed of?
Yellow bag to be incinerated.
Orange bag to first be treated prior to disposal or incineration
What is infectious waste?
Waste containing micro-organisms or bodily fluids which are known or believed to cause disease.
May include- swabs, masks, gloves, animal bedding, blood and body parts
How are sharps disposed of?
For needles/ syringes or other sharp instruments contaminated with-
- Cytotoxic drugs - purple container
- Blood - yellow container
- non- contaminated- orange
How is general waste disposed of?
Recycled or in a black bin bag
How are cytotoxic pharmaceuticals disposed of?
Contaminated sharps in a purple container.
Purple bag for all contaminated bedding, packaging, swabs etc.
To be incinerated at a high temperature.
How are general pharmaceuticals disposed of?
A blue or green leak proof container to be incinerated.
Solids and liquids should be kept separate to avoid chemical reaction and fire.
Which legislations regulate Hazardous waste and what do they ensure?
Environmental Protection act 1990 and The Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005.
Ensures waste is stored and disposed correctly and responsibly handled by authorised personnel. Records must be kept if transferred hazardous waste.
What is needed when disposing of hazardous waste?
A consignment note which must be retained for 3 years and signed by the waste collector. Must include a description of waste and European Waste Catalogue Registration number.
Which legislation regulates waste destruction and how?
The Waste incineration Regulations 2002.
Ensures waste is incinerated without harming humans, animals or the environment.
What needs to happen to controlled drugs before incineration?
They must be denatured under the watch of an RCVS PSS assessor, vet surgeon it controlled drugs leasion officer
