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Waste Stories 17/8/2015

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1. Free GGHH webinars on August 19 and 20

The Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) will be hosting two free one hour webinars on healthcare waste management strategies on August 19 and 20.

For details and booking, click GGHH webinars

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 draft programme can be found here: Draft schedule (Aug 2015)

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

Booking details for early bird registration can be found here: healthcare waste 2016 conference

3. Short course on healthcare waste management

This short course provides an introduction to the effective management of Healthcare Wastes.

Learning Outcomes:

• To become aware of, and how to comply with, the relevant policies and legislation governing the management of healthcare waste

• To understand the issues surrounding the consignment and transport of healthcare waste

• To become aware of the key thermal and alternative treatment technologies employed in managing healthcare waste

Book to do the course here: healthcare waste short course

4. CIWM public contracts regulations’ master class

Whether you’re a waste or procurement officer working for a local authority, it’s vital that you are aware of the recent changes that have come into effect following The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015). This half-day masterclass will provide you with the very latest information on these changes as well as a practical understanding of how the regulations will apply to the procurement of public waste contracts.

To reserve your place please contact kent@ciwm.co.uk or click here: CIWM master class

5. NHS Trusts told to financial plans ‘unaffordable’

Hospitals and health trusts in England have been told by regulators to look again at their financial plans as current ones are “simply unaffordable”. Monitor has written to the 46 foundation trusts with the biggest deficits “challenging” their plans. It urged money-saving measures such as filling only essential staff vacancies.

Read the full story NHS trusts

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Waste Stories 27/7/2015

Symp2

1. 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 draft programme can be found here: Draft programmeJuly2015

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

Booking details for early bird registration can be found here: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2. Link between reusable sharps containers and C. diff

Read the story here: C diff and reusable containers

3. Short course on healthcare waste management

This short course provides an introduction to the effective management of Healthcare Wastes.

Learning Outcomes:

• To become aware of, and how to comply with, the relevant policies and legislation governing the management of healthcare waste

• To understand the issues surrounding the consignment and transport of healthcare waste

• To become aware of the key thermal and alternative treatment technologies employed in managing healthcare waste

Book to do the course here: healthcare waste short course

4. Municipal waste incinerators and air pollution

This study aimed to fingerprint emissions from six municipal waste incinerators (MWIs) and then test if these fingerprint ratios could be found in ambient air samples. Stack emissions tests from MWIs comprised As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, V and Hg.

Read the article here: incinerators and air pollution

5. Environment Agency survey

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Waste Statistics Team has prepared a survey on waste in order to get feedback from the general public and our key stakeholders. The main purpose is to find out if we are providing the information you want, and whether or not we are presenting it in a format that suits you. In order to retrieve such data, we hope that you can take the time to fill in the survey. There are 20 questions in total and it should take you no more than 5 minutes to fill out. None of the questions posed are mandatory and you can leave the survey at any time. While individual responses are anonymous, the findings will be shared in a summary format.

Complete the survey here: Environment Agency survey

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Waste Stories 20/7/2015

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1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference

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 draft programme can be found here: Draft programmeJuly2015

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

Booking details for early bird registration can be found here: healthcare waste 2016 conference

2. ISWA 2015 technical visits (7 – 9 September)

ISWA 2015 will provide delegates with the opportunity for seven technical visits. Interested visitors will have the opportunity to visit: Umicore Precious Metals Refining, the ISVAG waste-to-energy plant, the IOK waste management company, Stora Enso – the largest paper recycling plant in Europe, the Hooge Maey Landfill site, Indaver – safe treatment of all types of hazardous and industrial waste, and the Port of Antwerp.

Learn more here: ISWA 2015

3. UN sustainable procurement in healthcare documents

The UN Informal Interagency Task Team on Sustainable Procurement in the Health Sector (SPHS) is pleased to announce the availability of the SPHS Annual Report 2014, as well as the “SPHS in Brief” document. Both documents summarize the activities of the SPHS Task Team during the period January 2014 through December 2014 towards introducing sustainable procurement practices in the health sector. Documenting the main SPHS achievements in 2014, the report also high points the main venues used for establishing partnerships and promoting the SPHS, as well as important SPHS internal developments.

Download the annual report and ‘SPHS in brief’ documents.

4. Hope Exchange Programme 2016

Every year the European Hospital and Healthcare Federation (HOPE) runs an exchange programme to promote the sharing of knowledge and expertise within the European Union and to provide training and experience for hospital and healthcare professionals.

This Exchange Programme covers a four-week training period and is open to anyone with a minimum of three years experience working in hospitals and/or healthcare facilities and since 2004, the NHS has welcomed 135 EU visitors and seen over 65 UK participants experience other healthcare systems.

Registration for the European HOPE 2016 Exchange Programme will open soon. The programme, hosted in the UK by the NHS Leadership Academy, consists of a four-week placement abroad for healthcare professionals in managerial roles to learn about a different healthcare system and to compare practices and approaches there.

Read more about the programme here: HOPE Exchange Programme

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Waste Stories 15/6/2015

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1. EMH article on managing waste from patients with viral haemorrhagic fever

Read the article here: infectious waste

2. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference

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 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies. Speakers from the Royal College of Nursing, the NHS and technology operators, amongst others. Booking details coming soon.

3. Scientists trace cancer-causing chemical in drinking water back to methadone

Like death and taxes, at some point in life, drinking someone else’s human waste becomes inevitable. When water flows from the many pipes of our homes, the first stop is a wastewater treatment factory, where most hazardous chemicals and microbes are removed. In an ideal scenario, city planners have geographically positioned wastewater facilities so that none of the drainage flows into another’s city’s drinking water supply. But if you live downstream from any population, then you’re likely drinking someone’s wastewater, says Arizona State University environmental engineer Paul Westerhoff.

Read the full story here: methadone and water contamination

4. EU circular economy consultation launched

On 28th May, the European Commission launched a public consultation to help inform its circular economy action plan, to be presented by the end of 2015. Suggestions generated from the consultation will feed into a new strategy which aims to transform Europe into a “competitive resource efficient economy”. The revised package will reportedly look beyond waste policy and address the full product lifecycle, taking into account the varying realities in all Member States. It will include actions on intelligent product design, reuse and repair of products, recycling, sustainable consumption, waste policy, recycling levels, smart use of raw materials, stronger markets for secondary raw materials and specific sectorial measures. The consultation is open until 20th August

Read more here: EU consultation

Respond to the consultation here: respond to the consultation

5. CIWM awards 2015

See the categories here: CIWM awards 2015 categories

6. 2020 healthcare climate challenge

Read more here: 2020 healthcare climate challenge

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Waste Stories 8/6/2015

Healthcare

1.Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a planned trade pact currently being negotiated between the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA).  If concluded it will become the world’s largest free trade pact.

Read about TTIP here: TTIP

2. NHS Scotland spearheads furniture and equipment reuse

The Scottish Health Service has achieved a “world first”, with a contractual commitment to furniture and equipment reuse that expects to generate savings of more than £300,000 and major carbon reductions across procurement, facilities management and waste services in the first year.

Read the story here: NHS Scotland

3. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference

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 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies.

4. Pharmaceuticals and waste water

Wastewater treatment plants not only struggle removing pharmaceuticals, it seems some drugs actually increase after treatment. When researchers tested wastewater before and after treatment at a Milwaukee-area treatment plant, they found that two drugs—the anti-epileptic carbamazepine and antibiotic ofloxacin—came out at higher concentrations than they went in. The study suggests the microbes that clean our water may also piece some pharmaceuticals back together.

Read the article here: Phamaceuticals and waste water

5. Educating for sustainable healthcare

The General Medical Council (GMC) has updated the online version of Tomorrow’s Doctors to include a link to the priority learning outcomes for sustainable healthcare, which were developed by the SHE Network through a national consultation in 2012-13. Tomorrow’s Doctors sets standards and outcomes for undergraduate medical training, and forms the basis of medical school curricula nationally. Appendix 3 (in the online version) provides references to external documents, including those providing more detail on specific curriculum areas.

See the training information here: Sustainable healthcare

6. Changes to waste classification

New European Regulations that change the way waste is classified and assessed start to came into force across the UK on 1 June. These changes affect anyone who produces waste, particular if their waste is likely to be hazardous

Read more here: FAQs

 

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Waste Stories 2/6/2015

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1.Support the Nepal earthquake appeal

Read more here: Nepal quake relief appeal

2.WM3 comes into force

From today (1 June), waste producers will need to comply with the revised guidance set out in WM3, the joint UK environmental regulators’ guidance on classification of hazardous waste that sees a change in the way waste is assessed and classified in the UK.

See the document here: WM3

3. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference

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 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies.

4. CIWM’s ‘Resourcing the Future’ Conference: June 24-25

The waste sector’s industry’s leading annual conference, brought to you by CIWM, ESA and The Resource Association picks up the general mood of the industry; are we still only able to focus on the impacts of austerity or is it time to start thinking about some ambitious changes?  UK ministers and industry leaders will present the latest policy perspectives and a host of expert speakers will join the debate on issues such as local government austerity, market outlooks for key materials, collaborative approaches on waste crime, and the future of the circular economy.

See details here: CIWM conference

5.Hospitals must separate waste under new Welsh Environment Bill

The new Environment Bill, put forward by the Welsh Government will mean schools, hospitals and business will have to separate waste for recycling. The Bill will also extend charging on plastic bags to “bags for life”.

Read more here: Welsh Environment Bill

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Waste Stories 19/5/2015

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1. Addenbrooke’s Hospital is top for waste management

When it comes to waste management, Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) has come out top. The Carbon Trust awarded CUH a score of 89% for its waste management, higher than any other NHS Foundation Trust.

Read the story here: Addenbrooke Hospital

2. ISWA/Finnovaregio financing opportunities alert

The ISWA Financing Opportunities Alert is the result of a co-operation between ISWA and Finnovaregio.  The aim of this co-operation is to provide ISWA members with regular information on calls related to waste management projects.

Read more here: ISWA financing opportunities

3. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference

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 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies.

4. Environmental Audit Committee scrutiny of sustainability in the NHS

In March, as part of its inquiry on sustainability in the NHS, the UK Government’s Environmental Audit Committee held a public evidence session to examine sustainable development governance and operations.  MPs questioned SDU’s Sonia Roschnik, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gina Radford and John Holden, head of Policy Partnerships & Innovation at the Department of Health on the extent to which the NHS is set up to deliver on the Sustainable Development Strategy and progress so far.

Read more here: Environmental Audit Committee scrunity

5. EU circular economy consultation to be launched

Recently, Environment Commissioner, Karmenu Vella, confirmed in a speech at the European Business Summit that the European Commission is “…about to launch an online public consultation on the main options of the [Circular Economy Package] plan”, which he added would be “significantly ambitious”.

Read the story here: Circular economy consultation

6. ERRIN Network

Founded in 2001, ERRIN is a Brussels-based platform of  Research and Innovation Organisations and Stakeholders in Regions. ERRIN  aims to strengthen regional Research and Innovation capacities by exchanging information, sharing best practice, supporting European project development, policy shaping and profile raising by working together with a partnership approach.

Read more here: ERRIN

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Waste Stories 12/5/2015

Healthcare

1. Appeal for Nepalese ambulance services

You can still donate to the NEPAL AMBULANCE SERVICE. This ambulance service is the only one in the country with properly equipped vehicles and trained paramedics, working in collaboration with Stanford University.  A field hospital and fresh water supply has been set up and experts from Stanford are on the way to join their efforts. Any donations to this unique service will make a huge difference

See appeal and donate here: Nepal appeal

2. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference

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 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies.

3. UKTI: Hunan Province, China Environmental delegation: 10-14th June
UKTI Guangzhou are organising a Hunan environmental delegation visit to the UK between 10-14 June. The delegation would like to meet up with UK environmental companies for potential collaboration opportunities. With a round table meeting at the EIC London, encouraging CIWM members to attend.
The areas of interest are around soil remediation technology, air pollution prevention, Recycling technologies of Metal resources/waste from industrial manufacturing and UK’s latest waste treatment technologies.
For further information please contact: usman.sheikh@ukti.gsi.gov.uk

4. ICE call for papers on new and emerging waste treatment technologies

Click here for more details: ICE call for papers

5. Healthcare waste training courses and trainers

See list: training and trainers

 

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Waste stories 5/5/2015

Symp2

1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference

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 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies.

2. Appeal for Nepalese ambulance services

You will all have heard of the terrible 7.9-magnitude earthquake that has rocked the south-central Asia on April 25.  The Himalayan country of Nepal is the worst affected, with at least two thousand dead and the death toll certain to climb as many of the worst affected areas are cut off.

Mahesh Nakarmi, director of the Healthcare Waste Management Program of Health Care Foundation Nepal, co-founded the National Society for Earthquake Technology and the NEPAL AMBULANCE SERVICE. This ambulance service is the only one in the country with properly equipped vehicles and trained paramedics, working in collaboration with Stanford University.  At this moment, they are hard at work, helping to save those injured in this tragedy.  A field hospital and fresh water supply has been set up and experts from Stanford are on the way to join their efforts. Any donations to this unique service will make a huge difference

See appeal and donate here: Nepal appeal

3.Briefing on European Structural and Investment Funds

This briefing outlines the background to the new round of European Structural and Investment Funds, including what the funds support, the main opportunities for the NHS in England and how to access the funding.

This briefing will be of interest to all NHS organisations, including national bodies and regional organisations, such as academic health science networks, local education and training boards and health and wellbeing boards, as well as to colleagues working in public health.

Read the briefing here: European Structural and Investment Funds

4. UKTI: Hunan Province, China Environmental delegation: 10-14th June

UKTI Guangzhou are organising a Hunan environmental delegation visit to the UK between 10-14 June. The delegation would like to meet up with UK environmental companies for potential collaboration opportunities. With a round table meeting at the EIC London, encouraging CIWM members to attend.
The areas of interest are around soil remediation technology, air pollution prevention, Recycling technologies of Metal resources/waste from industrial manufacturing and UK’s latest waste treatment technologies.
For further information please contact: usman.sheikh@ukti.gsi.gov.uk

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Waste Stories 27/4/2015

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1. Joint Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group and ISWA International conference

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 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London. Topics to be covered will include current and emerging technologies, sustainability and preparing for emergencies.

2. Healthcare waste training courses and trainers

See list: training and trainers

3. Proposed EU resource efficiency hierarchy

A discussion was submitted to Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries yesterday (21 April), which introduces the idea of a new European Resource Hierarchy, which may supersede the EU-waste hierarchy. The discussion paper introduces the new idea for a European Resource Hierarchy.

Read the document here: EU resource efficiency hierarchy

4. UK statistics on waste

See stats here: UK waste statistics