4.7 Healthcare risk waste management

4.7.1
Healthcare risk waste (HCRW) management cuts across the priority initiatives identified by the NWMS and comprises a third focal area of the 1999 NWMS Implementation Project. The overall objective has been to improve the standard of HCRW management in South Africa, starting with quantification of the HCW stream as well as the available treatment/disposal capacities for the country. Information requirements for the measurement and monitoring of HCW were developed for the Waste Information System. A study has recently been conducted to determine the available treatment and disposal capacity for the country. The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has embarked upon a pilot project for improved HCRW management from smaller generators, which are those generators that generate up to 20kg per day of HCRW inclusive of all small health care facilities, health care private practitioners, other specialised institutions such as tattoo artists, traditional healers, mortuaries, and the like. A second pilot was developed for the Zeerust hospital complex as a means to develop a model to enhance HCRW management in a rural setting by developing safe, healthy and environmentally sound yet cost-effective systems for HCRW management. Lastly, draft HCRW management policy and regulations have been developed.