Posted on April 1, 2016 by Terry Tudor

2016

Eulàlia Martorell

1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

One of the speakers will be Eulàlia Martorell. Eulàlia is the International Coordinator in the company ANTONIO MATACHANA, S.A. based in Barcelona – Spain, where she is responsible for the supervision of projects worldwide including the healthcare waste treatment plants for sterilisation.

She studied chemistry at the University of Barcelona and obtained her degree in Organic Chemistry. Afterwards, she was granted a degree in Environmental Impact Assessment also by the University of Barcelona.

She started her career in the company POLYRECICLADOS S.A. implementing a quality system according to ISO 9001 and standardising the procedures through which plastic proceeding from agriculture was recycled into waste bags. In 1995, she joined the company MATACHANA where she has taken increasing responsibilities within the technical and commercial areas while working in projects worldwide.

The full programme can be found here: Programme – April 2016

Sponsors include: Daniels, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group, Newster, Sharpsmart, Cloud Sustainability, SRCL and ISS Ltd.

Booking details can be found at: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2. Questionnaire on draft training standards in HCWM

The NHS Confederation and the NHS European Office have become partners in a 3-year European-wide project to develop a new healthcare waste management qualification framework and e-learning platform.

The new qualification framework will enable the EU workforce in the waste management sector to gain a standardised set of skills, regardless of the member state in which they undertake the vocational training programme, leading to greater mobility for these workers within the EU.

Over the last year the project partners have “compared and contrasted” the existing training and curricula across a range of countries, developed a set of draft vocational training units based on common standards and aligned with the European Qualifications Framework, and are now developing training modules which will deliver the required qualification. The NHS National Performance Advisory Group (NPAG) Waste Management Group has been used as a “reference” or “benchmarking” group to quality assure the materials being developed.

View the questionnaire associated with the draft units: here

3. New premises registration guidance

From 1 April 2016, premises will no longer need to register as hazardous waste producers. This change will affect the entire hazardous waste control system. New guidance has been published to reflect this.

See the guidance here

4. New workers 4x more likely to have an accident

A recent Health and Safety Authority/ESRI study of workplace accidents showed that workers are four times more likely to suffer a workplace accident in the first six months of a new job. The research was based on workplace injury and illness figures from the CSO over a 12 year period (2001 – 2012). The study found that new workers were at much higher risk due to a lack of training and supervision, a reluctance to question instructions, a lack of safety knowledge and increased workload.

The risk of injury decreases with age and experience due to lower risk-taking and a reduction in the involvement of manual tasks.

Read the story here

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Terry Tudor

Waste stories 21/3/2016

Omar Fernandez Sanfranciso

1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

One of the speakers will be Omar Fernandez Sanfranciso. Omar began his career in the Research and Innovation Unit of a Regional Hospital (Hospital de Poniente, Almería), and then moved on to the Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology Department of the Medicine Faculty (University of Granada).

He began working for ATHISA Group in 2009 as member of the R&D Department, focusing development of the MIMO System Project. The project included the preparation and follow up of projects, technical design and development of essays. In 2013, The ATHISA R&D team was awarded with the Eureka Innovation Award for the MIMO System Project.

The full programme can be found here: Programme – March 2016

Sponsors include: Daniels, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group, Newster, Sharpsmart, Cloud Sustainability, SRCL and ISS Ltd.

Booking details can be found at: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2. California clarifies RCRA hazardous pharmaceutical requirements

In a response to a question the State of California has indicated the following as shared by the California Hospital Association:
” DTSC states that California’s regulations on the definition of empty containers are currently more stringent than those of the federal EPA. The letter advises California health care facilities to include the total weight (of the container and the residue) on the hazardous waste manifest and states that this weight will count toward the monthly total to determine if the health care facility meets the one kilogram per month threshold for acute hazardous waste. The letter further advises health care facilities to be aware that DTSC will use the weight of the container and residue to calculate tonnages and collect annual generator fees”.
While the extent of this is not yet determined, I’d like to point out that including the weight of the container could move some hospitals out of the small generator category. It being California, this may have broader implications in other parts of the country or internationally.

(N.B. the extract above is taken from the Lindedin page of the the group ‘Pharmaceutical Waste’ coordinated by Bob Spurgin)

3. UK signs international secondary resources trade deal

An international voluntary agreement that aims to make better use of secondary resources was signed by representatives from France, Flanders, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom in early March.

Led by the Dutch Government, the North Sea Resources Roundabout (NSRR), in the first instance, will aim to stimulate trade of incinerator bottom ash (IBA), which can contain plastics and ultra-fine non-ferrous metals such as aluminium, lead, zinc, silver and gold. Other materials, including PVC and compost, will be addressed later as part of the agreement.

Read the story here

4. London urged to work towards standardised collections

The London Assembly Environment Committee has launched a new report in which recommends putting long-term sustainability at the heart of all Mayoral strategies and that London should work towards standardised domestic waste.

The report, “Growing, growing, gone: Long-term sustainable growth for London” today identifies the key challenges to accommodate London’s growth, stating that “without good planning, London could suffer unreliable energy supplies and excessive carbon emissions; a shortage of drinkable water; contaminated flooding caused by sewage overflow; and habitat destruction resulting in fewer green spaces for Londoners.”

A copy of the report can be downloaded here

5. Wales passes Tax Collection & Management (Wales) Bill

Welsh minister for Finance and Government Business, Jane Hutt AM (pictured), announced at the CIWM Resources Conference Cymru in Cardiff earlier this month, that the Tax Collection & Management (Wales) Bill has been passed by AMs.

Landfill Tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax will be devolved to Wales from April 2018 and will be replaced with Landfill Disposals Tax and Land Transactions Tax.

Being the first Welsh taxes in 800 years, Hutt told delegates they presents an opportunity for Wales to develop them in a way that reflects the needs of the communities and businesses. To govern these Wales will establish its own tax authority, the Welsh Revenue Authority.

It was also announced that a portion of the Landfill Diversion Tax would go towards community initiatives with an environmental focus. Hutt said these initiatives would help move the country forward towards a circular economy and towards zero waste.

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Terry Tudor

Waste Stories 14/3/2016

1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

One of the speakers will be Lutz Kempe. Lutz graduated from Technical University in Giessen / Germany as a Biomedical Engineer. After gaining experience in medical research he became head of an international development project in Kenya, focused on establishing a three year Diploma course at the Mombasa Polytechnic.

From 1995 to 1999 he was in charge of the Infrastructure Department of EPOS Health Management in Germany. EPOS Health Management provides project management and consulting services in the health sector.

Since 1999 he has been the Director of TTM in Marburg/Germany, a company operating in the field of international development cooperation and providing medical technology and general equipment to support health care projects worldwide.

The full programme can be found here: Programme – March 2016

Sponsors include: Daniels, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group, Newster, Sharpsmart, Cloud Sustainability, SRCL and ISS Ltd.

Booking details can be found at: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2.Government publishes cutting red tape review

The Government’s Cutting Red Tape review of the waste and resources sector has been published on 3 March, setting out Government’s response to stakeholder input.

The Government has made a commitment to save £10bn from the cost of regulation to business. To do this it announced a programme of Cutting Red Tape reviews into six business sectors in its Productivity Plan.

Read the report here

3.GIB funding for energy saving project at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust

UK Green Investment Bank plc and DLL have committed £6.9m to a programme of energy saving measures at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. GIB has committed £3.4m to the scheme as part of the £50m NHS energy efficiency funding alliance that it established with DLL in 2014.

Read the story here

4.International Circular Economy, Resource Efficiency & Eco-innovation brokerage event

Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) is working with the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) and Innovate UK to organise a brokerage, matchmaking and information event. The event is focusing on opportunities within Horizon 2020 for businesses making the transition to a circular economy and becoming more resource efficient.

The event is taking place during the International Festival for Business 2016 (IFB2016). IFB2016 is a global marketplace for creating connections and doing deals. It brings together thousands of businesses from around the world for three weeks of events, networking and deal-making.

The European Commission has committed over €725 million of Horizon 2020 funding for circular economy related calls in 2016-17. The aim of the event is to support organisations to access this funding by developing innovative R&D projects. There will be opportunities for companies to meet new partners and consortium members for Horizon 2020 projects plus the opportunity to discuss new routes to market for existing solutions.

Waste Stories 7/2/2016

Laura Mayhew-Manchón

1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

One of the speakers will be Laura Mayhew-Manchón. Laura has worked as an Environmental Advisor for Skanska UK’s Facilities Services operating unit since 2015. In her current role, she is responsible for supporting hospitals, local government and schools on environmental management and compliance. Her healthcare experience dates back to 2009, when she first worked to develop and deliver carbon management projects with Midlands NHS trusts, the findings of which were recently published in The International Journal of Healthcare.

She has also provided expertise in different areas of sustainability to businesses and local government, whilst working in academic, private, and non-profit organisations.

Laura is a Chartered Environmentalist and Member of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (MIEMA), holding degrees in both Environmental Sciences and Environmental Law. Her interests primarily relate to environmental regulation, operational resource efficiency, and corporate social responsibility.

The full programme can be found here: Programme – March 2016

Sponsors include: Daniels, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group, Newster, Sharpsmart, Cloud Sustainability and ISS Ltd.

Booking details can be found at: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2. CIWM Resourcing the Future Awards now open

Winners of the awards receive bursaries to further their studies in the UK and overseas, and for an international member to visit the UK, the results of which will be further reported across CIWM media.

See the awards here

3. Doctor on Skype

What if you could see your physician for a minor issue without having to drive there, find parking, or spend time in a waiting room? What if you could do it without leaving your desk?

Telemedicine—the practice of allowing people to speak with their medical practitioners via two-way video, text or email—makes this possible. In the U.S., more than half of hospitals now use some form of telemedicine, according to the American Telemedicine Association. And of patients who have not used a telemedicine service, 75% are interested in using one in lieu of an in-person medical visit.

Read the story here

4. Growing issues of homeless people sleeping in bins

The number of homeless people found sleeping rough in recycling bins is growing, according to one of the biggest waste management firms in the UK. Why is this happening?

Read the story here

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Terry Tudor

Waste stories 22/2/2016

Beatrice Giordani (Newster Group)

1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

One of the speakers will be Beatrice Giordani from the Newster Group. Beatrice is International Relations Manager at Newster Group – Italy. She has been an ISWA member since 2010 and is Vice Chair of the Working Group on Healthcare Waste since 2014.

Newster manufactures technology solutions for the sustainable management of healthcare waste, including “frictional heat treatment” technology for healthcare waste processing.

She will be presenting an evaluation of frictional heat treatment technology (FHT) , with an example of the technology by application of UNEP-IETC SAT criteria – A case study in the Republic of Sprksa.

The full programme can be found here: Programme – Feb 2016

Sponsors include: Daniels, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group, Newster, Sharpsmart, Cloud Sustainability and ISS Ltd. (Please contact Terry Tudor: terry.tudor@northampton.ac.uk, if you wish to sponsor)

Booking details can be found at: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2. Environmental Permitting Operators’ certificate

This CIWM course demonstrates operator competence to operate a permitted waste and resources facility for low risk tier sites, for example inert waste transfer or treatment, in-house storage, WEEE storage or MRS (dry scrap –no free flowing liquid).

Waste Stories 16/2/2016

1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

One of the speakers will be Olmo Forni, who spent two years between Kenya and Senegal, working in rural development, and Ivory Coast as an electoral advisor for UNOCI, the UN peacekeeping mission. In between his African endeavours, he investigated international hazardous waste trafficking and waste crimes at UNICRI, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute.

In 2015, Olmo was part of REDR facilitators team for the training delivered to volunteers leaving for Sierra Leone, conducted a Waste Value Chain study in Northern Jordan, and two Emergency Waste Assessment in Yemen and Nigeria. He was also part of DWR initial response team to the Nepal earthquake.

His talk will focus on his DWR experience in Nepal, Jordan and Yemen to illustrate the role of waste management in emergencies, for the humanitarian sector and by donors, and the adequacy of existing minimal standards to respond today’s complex crisis and protracted displacement scenarios.

The full programme can be found here: Programme – Feb 2016

Booking details can be found at: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2. New Econix waste bin

Click for the bin Econix bin – Hygiene+ Web

3. Welsh Environment Bill paves way for Energy from Waste limits

On 2nd February the National Assembly for Wales passed the Environment (Wales) Bill, a piece of legislation aiming to bring into law several measures to tackle climate change, including a target to reduce carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2050. The Bill also includes several waste and resources requirements. For example, legislation that could pave the way for some materials to be banned from treatment via Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities in Wales is suggested. Requirements for businesses to present recyclable waste separately for collection or face prosecution have also been included. The Bill also brings into effect a ban on the disposal of food waste to sewers, in line with similar laws that are already in place in Scotland.
On incineration of waste, the regulations state: “The Welsh Ministers may by regulations make provision for and in connection with prohibiting or otherwise regulating the incineration in Wales of specified kinds of waste”. This would be brought about by amending a specific section of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999, which relates to the operation of waste incineration or co-incineration plants. The Bill is expected to become law in Wales in 2017.

Read the Bill here

4. New Waste Industry Health and Safety (WISH) forum website

View the new website here

5. Environment Agency revises environmental permitting suite

The Environment Agency (EA) has published a suite of revised and updated guidance on the environmental permitting regime.The reformatted guidance, launched on 1 February, is part of an ongoing cross-DEFRA project to improve the quality of guidance, an outcome of the Red Tape Challenge. The intention is to make it more “focused on the users’ needs” said an EA press officer. A total of 25 new pages have been added to the agency’s website, explaining in simple terms topics such as which activities require a permit, how to apply for an exemption, and the meaning of ‘best available techniques’.The generic ‘How to comply with your environmental permit’ document has been withdrawn and replaced with two new guides on developing an environmental management system and controlling and monitoring emissions.

View the amendments here

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Terry Tudor

Waste Stories 8/2/2016

Ray Wright

1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

One of the speakers will be Ray Wright, who is the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Waste Manager, one of the UK’s largest. The Trust’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital was one of three UK centres providing surge capacity to the Royal Free Hospital during the 2014/15 Ebola virus disease epidemic. Ray developed the organisation’s Ebola waste stream handling infrastructure and created waste protocols for its surge capacity responsibilities.

He has been a Waste Manager for NHS Trusts in Sheffield and Lincolnshire for over 7 years, and prior to this worked as an Environment Agency regional hazardous waste coordinator.

His presentation will outline a waste manager’s personal experience of providing a waste handling infrastructure and protocols for a potential Ebola virus disease patient at a surge capacity hospital. It will demonstrate the logistical challenges of managing large quantities of Category A waste for the duration of a patient’s treatment.

The full programme can be found here: Programme – Jan 2016

Sponsors include: Daniels, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group, Newster, Sharpsmart and ISS Ltd. (Please contact Terry Tudor: terry.tudor@northampton.ac.uk, if you wish to sponsor)

Booking details can be found at: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2. Amendments to scope of the RoHS Directive

Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, 2011/65/EU.

Read the amendments here

3. EU Sustainable Energy Awards 2016

The SEE Awards recognise the best sustainable energy projects taking place across Europe. A wide range of organisations are eligible to apply including businesses, non-profit organisations and public sector organisations.

There are three categories for the 2016 awards:

Consumers – rewarding actions leading to the behavioural change of individual energy users.
Public Sector – rewarding public and non-profit organisations taking exemplary initiatives in energy efficiency or use of renewables.
Businesses – rewarding forward-thinking businesses which are exemplary in their production or use of energy.

There will also be a Citizens’ Award to reward the nominee which best captures the public imagination.

Entries will be assessed on the following three criteria:

Excellence and innovation
Impact and contribution to the 2030 objectives
Replication potential and social acceptance

For 2016, the project must be ongoing or concluded after 30 June 2015.

The deadline for entries is 22 February 2016.

View details of the Awards and 2016 EU Energy Week here

4. New drive for paper-less NHS

Read the story here

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Terry Tudor

Waste Stories 1/2/2016

Ruth Stringer

1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

One of the speakers at the event will be Ms Ruth Stringer (pictured above). Ruth is the International Science and Policy Coordinator for Health Care Without Harm. She is a member of the International Solid Waste Association healthcare waste working group, and a co-author of the 2014 edition of the World Health Organization Guidelines for the Safe Management of Wastes from Healthcare facilities. Current priorities include projects on the use of biological methods to treat biodegradable infectious waste and disseminating non-incineration waste treatment technologies in four countries in Africa, via a project in which HCWH is collaborating with UNDP and the World Health Organization, with funding from the Global Environment Facility.

The full programme can be found here: Programme – Jan 2016

Sponsors include: Daniels, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group, Newster, Sharpsmart and ISS Ltd. (Please contact Terry Tudor: terry.tudor@northampton.ac.uk, if you wish to sponsor)

Booking details can be found at: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2. Environment Agency changes to premises’ registration and consignment note numbering format

As of 1 April, 2016, there will be changes to the premises registation and consignment note number format. Read the guidance Changes to Premises Registration and the Consignment Note Number format

3. Government misses its own waste target

The UK Government has missed its own target to reduce the amount of waste it generates, according to a report quietly published in November.

Read the story here

4. EU report calls for mandatory separate collections

The European Commission has published a major study lead by CRI and German consultancy BiPRO, assessing the legislation and practice of separate collection systems for waste across the 28 EU member states.

Setting out recommendations, the report concludes that strict separate collections (one recyclable in one bin) “usually leads to higher recycling rates”, and that mandatory separate collection systems for certain municipal waste fractions, eg, waste paper, in addition to packaging waste, or mandatory separate collection of bio-waste, should be introduced.

Read the report here

5. Waste and resource digest

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published key statistics from the waste and resources sector together in one publication.

The Digest of Waste and Resources – 2016 edition is the second digest the department has published, and is a compendium of “key statistics” on a range of waste and resource areas, based on data published mainly by Defra, WRAP, the Environment Agency, Office for National Statistics and Eurostat.

Read the digest here

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Terry Tudor

Waste Stories 25/1/2016

1. Free webinar on active pharmaceutical ingredients

The Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI) is organizing a webinar on managing active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in manufacturing effluent on Wednesday, 27th January 2016 at 08:00-09:30 EST and 20:00-21:30 EST

This informative webinar will answer questions and provide step-by-step guidance on this ‘spotlight’ issue for our industry. Whether you are starting a program or advancing an existing one, this webinar will answer questions and set a clear path for action.

Topics to be covered include:
• Why is managing active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in manufacturing effluent important?
• What is the industry doing to improve public perceptions?
• Understanding where you stand at the moment through the maturity ladder concept
• Establishing and calculating API discharge concentration called the Predicted-No-Effect-Concentration (PNEC)
• Simple steps to reducing API process losses to waste water and what to do when the PNEC is exceeded
• •How to advance your program to the next level

Registration is limited to 400 participants. Click on the link for further information: PSC Initiative

A guidance document for future reference will be made available to all attendees.
For further information please contact the PSCI team: info@pscinitiative.org

2. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

In conjunction with the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), the Group will be hosting an international conference on April 14 and 15, 2016. It will be held at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies.

The programme can be found here: Programme – Jan 2016

Sponsors include: Daniels, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group, Newster, Sharpsmart and ISS Ltd. (Please contact Terry Tudor: terry.tudor@northampton.ac.uk, if you wish to sponsor)

Booking details can be found here: healthcare waste 2016 conference

3. EU project on electrical and electronic waste

A new project – Critical Raw Material Closed Loop Recovery (CRM Recovery) – has been established to explore commercial opportunities for harvesting critical raw materials and precious metals including gold, silver and platinum group metals, from everyday unwanted electronic products.

Read the story here

4. Environment Agency – Waste collection authority separate collection arrangements survey results

How English waste collection authorities are implementing regulation 13(3), in part 5 of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011.

View the document here

5. London buses to run on waste fats and oils

Almost a third of London’s bus fleet will soon be running on a greener blend of diesel, resulting in a huge reduction in CO₂ emissions of 21,000 tonnes each year which comes on top of the 48,000 tonne CO₂ reduction from 2013 levels as a result of the introduction of lower emitting buses such as hybrids.

Read the story here

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Terry Tudor

Waste Stories 18/1/2016

1. Your chance to influence low carbon investment for the Health and Social Care sector

If you have a well quantified cost and carbon return case study, for a successful approach or technology, that you would like to see promoted across the whole Health and Social Care system, the SDU would like to hear from you.

It may be it anything from solar panels on a hospital, a care homes food initiative, shared services, driver training, a more efficient approach to medicines management or waste reduction. As long as it improves health and wellbeing, cuts costs and reduces waste, pollution or carbon emissions. The SDU is looking for practical and proven examples, from live pilots or successful initiatives, not paper studies or theoretical savings. Though initiatives do not need to have been deployed yet in the health sector, they need to have been deployed successfully somewhere.

Please email contributions to england.sdu@nhs.net with ‘SDU MAC Curve’ in the subject line. Contributions will be welcome until the end of January 2016.

2. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference (sponsored by Grundon Waste Management)

The programme can be found here: Programme – Dec 2015

Sponsors include: Daniels, Econix, GV Health, Frontier Medical Group, Newster, Sharpsmart and ISS Ltd. (Please contact Terry Tudor: terry.tudor@northampton.ac.uk, if you wish to sponsor)

Booking details can be found here: healthcare waste 2016 conference

3. NHS planning guidance for 2016 – 2021

Request the document here

4. National Infrastructure Commission consultation launched

The governance, structure and operation of the National Infrastructure Commission has been set out in a consultation document that was launched recently.

the healthcare waste and resources research group

healthcare waste research

Category Archives: News stories

Waste stories 1/4/2016

Waste stories 21/3/2016

Waste Stories 14/3/2016

Waste Stories 7/2/2016

Waste stories 22/2/2016

Waste Stories 16/2/2016

Waste Stories 8/2/2016

Waste Stories 1/2/2016

Waste Stories 25/1/2016

Waste Stories 18/1/2016