§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the illegal dumping of clinical waste in Hertfordshire in 1995. [21291]
§ Mr. HoramI understand that a quantity of clinical waste was found dumped on two sites in Hertfordshire and was cleared and made safe by the local waste disposal regulatory authority. Investigations are being undertaken and co-ordinated by the Hertfordshire county council waste regulation unit in collaboration with other waste regulators and with regional offices of the NHS Executive. Legal action against the contractor concerned is being considered by the waste regulation unit.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary for Health (1) how many of the NHS trusts which contracted for the disposal of the clinical waste found at Hertford checked the incineration procedures to be used by the contractors; [21301]
(2) if he will name the NHS health trusts which contracted with Green Environmental Services to handle infected clinical waste subsequently found dumped at various sites in Hertfordshire. [21292]
§ Mr. HoramThis information is not available centrally. Investigations by the Hertfordshire county council waste regulation unit continue.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action he has taken to warn the public of the dangers arising from the dumping of infected hospital clinical waste; [21293]
(2) what representations he has made to the chief constables of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire about the need to alert their officers to the risk of infected clinical waste in unattended lorry trailers. [21294]
§ Mr. HoramThese are matters for waste regulation and environmental health authorities. The Hertfordshire county council waste regulation unit continues to co-ordinate the investigation of possible breaches of waste regulations in collaboration with other authorities in Hertfordshire and elsewhere.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the responsibilities of the NHS for the safe disposal of infected clinical waste. [21271]
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§ Mr. HoramAs a waste producer, the national health service is bound by the "duty of care" requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to ensure that clinical waste is properly disposed of, even when this work is contracted out. In particular, each waste producer must ensure that waste is transferred only to an authorised transporter. It must describe the waste accurately, ensure its safe disposal and keep records of waste consignments. It must also ensure that proper documentation is passed to the transporter.