Waste stories 29/2/2016

 

IgnacioIgnacio Sanchez Diaz

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.

One of the speakers will be Ignacio  Sanchez Diaz from the UNDP. Ignacio works as Greening Health Systems Specialist at UNDP HHD Team at the Istanbul Regional Hub. He provides technical support to secretariat of the Sustainable Procurement in the Health Sector (SPHS) task team and SPHS members in environmental and sustainability aspects. He supports UNDP Procurement Service Unit in the environmental assessment of healthcare suppliers and the development of environmental requirements. In addition, he supports regional HHD team on mainstream work related to the environmental safeguarding of programmes and project implemented in the region and globally, especially on healthcare waste management and carbon footprint assessment.

His presentation will introduce some of the current activities and projects being develop by UNDP on healthcare waste management  and the lesson learnt from previous experience such as waste management during the Ebola respond or the Countries assessments on healthcare waste management.

 

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. Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey discharged from London hospital

Read the story here

3. Defra to publish 25-year environment plan

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will publish a 25-year environment plan by the end of the year. It will work with the Natural Capital Committee to develop a comprehensive 25-year plan for the environment.

Read the story here

4. Healthcare sector hits carbon reduction targets

According to NHS England, the NHS and wider health and care sector is over the first hurdle in the race to reach carbon reduction targets and help limit the effects of climate change.

A report from the Sustainable Development Unit for NHS England and Public Health England showed the NHS has reduced its carbon emissions by 11% between 2007 and 2015 – exceeding the 10% target set in 2009.  The wider sector, which also includes public health and social care, has seen a 13% reduction over the same period.

Read the story here

5. Environment Agency starts trials of new RDF definition

In February, the Environment Agency (EA) commenced a six-month trial using a new definition for refuse-derived fuel (RDF).

Defra worked closely with a range of operators with an interest in the RDF sector to develop the new definition that was published in November 2015.

Read the story here

Waste Stories 15/12/2015

3_spark_a_christmas_decoration_hd_picture_1701391. Maps of progress on sustainability across the NHS published

Compare progress on a range of sustainability measures including on energy, water and waste within the NHS, using the Sustainable Development Unit’s maps

2. Our 2015 annual report

The Group’s 2015 report can be found HCWRR steering committee report 2015a

3. 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 – Dec 2015

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

4. Updated definition for RDF

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has issued an updated definition for refuse-derived fuel (RDF). This updated definition now includes a specification on RDF’s minimum calorific content as agreed with the end-user. Earlier in 2015, the Department issues a one-line definition, after announcing in its response to the “Refuse derived fuel market in England” call for evidence in December 2014 that it would intervene with the market to tackle waste crime. Defra has also announced that a treatment standard would not be introduced along with the definition, as this would run counter to the Department’s efforts to cut red tape.

See the new definition here

5. New WERLAs in Northern Ireland

Three new Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs) have recently been appointed in Northern Ireland. The authorities will have responsibility for coordinating waste enforcement actions within regions, setting priorities and common objectives for waste enforcement, ensuring consistent enforcement of waste legislation across the three existing waste management planning regions while still leaving local authority personnel as first responders on the ground to specific breaches of waste legislation.
The new authorities are as follows:
• Southern Region – Cork County Council
• Connaught Ulster Region – Leitrim & Donegal County Councils (Joint)
• Eastern & Midlands Region – Dublin City Council