HC Deb 18 June 2003 vol 407 cc290-1W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much clinical waste she estimates was disposed of by (a) landfill, (b) incineration and (c) other means in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by types of clinical waste. [119071]

Mr. Morley

The commercial and industrial waste survey carried out by the Environment Agency for 1998–99 estimated that, in England and Wales, health care establishments produced almost 750,000 tonnes of different wastes associated with their activities, although only part of this could be considered clinical waste. In 2001, the most recent year for which data are available, the Environment Agency special waste database reports some 5,500 tonnes of clinical waste consigned as special waste. Details of how these wastes were managed are given in the table.

Thousand tonnes
Type of disposal Waste from health care Special clinical waste
Landfill 17 0.2
Incineration 234 3.2
Other 490 2.1
Total 741 5.5