Waste Stories 30/9/2014

 

Healthcare1.The Ontario Medications Return Program and the Ontario Sharps Collection Programme

The Ontario Medications Return Program (OMRP) and the Ontario Sharps Collection Program (OSCP). The two programs are the first and only extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs to be regulated under the Ontario Environmental Protection Act and are administered by HPSA on behalf of the health products industries.

HPSA’s network of almost 3,400 community pharmacy collection sites across Ontario accepted 407 tonnes of pharmaceuticals and 259 tonnes of sharps from residents and managed the disposal in a safe and secure manner. HPSA also provided close to 200,000 free sharps containers to Ontario residents. The size of the HPSA collection network allows for convenient consumer access which results in improved safety in the home, helps prevent misuse of drugs, keeps drugs and sharps out of municipal curbside collection and keeps pharmaceuticals out of wastewater treatment systems.

Residents of Ontario returned 750 tonnes of pharmaceuticals and sharps from households for proper disposal between Oct. 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013. Almost 90% of the unused/expired pharmaceuticals and used sharps were returned by residents to retail pharmacies registered as collection locations in the OMRP and the OSCP.

Read more about the programmes here: Ontario medications returns programme

2.IHEEM annual conference

See event details here: IHEEM conference 2014

3.Report on medical waste management by market

The hospital and pharmaceutical waste management can be further categorized as regular medical waste, anatomical waste, manufacturing waste, and clinical trial waste. The medical waste management market is attracting significant investments and developments. The market is expected to reach a value of $10.3 billion by 2018, at a CAGR of 4.9%. Pharmaceutical waste management leads the market and is estimated to reach a market size of $5.8 billion by 2018.

Read the overview of the report here: medical waste markets

4.Updated NIOSH list of antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs in healthcare settings

There have been 27 new drugs added and 12 drugs removed.

See full document here: NIOSH list of hazardous drugs

5.The Rushlight Awards

Entries for the Rushlight Awards 2014-15 close on 31 December 2014 and the Rushlight Awards Party will follow the Rushlight Show on Thursday 29 January 2015 at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London.
Now in their 8th year, they have become an established event recognising the cleantech stars and sustainability champions of today.  They are the only set of awards designed specifically to support and promote all the latest clean technologies, innovations and initiatives for businesses and other organisations throughout UK and Ireland. There are 25 separate categories covering renewable energy, clean fuels and transport, energy efficiency, power generation, green products and services, sustainable agriculture, forestry and biodiversity, water, waste, sustainable manufacturing and services and environmental measurement and management.

See details on the Awards here: Rushlight Awards 2014/15