Faced with increasing amounts of waste, many governments have reviewed the policy options available and concluded that placing the responsibility of the later-stage consumer of some goods on producers may be an option. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach whereby producers are given a significant responsibility – financial and/or physical – for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products. Delegating such responsibility can provide incentives to prevent waste at the source, promote product design for the environment, and support the achievement of public recycling and materials management goals. The trend within the OECD is towards the expansion of EPR into new products, product groups, and waste streams such as electrical appliances and electronics.
Expanded Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules in the European Union with many member states including medical waste and old unused drugs in EPR schemes. In 2014 there were eight member states that included these waste types with a total of 240,000 tonnes of waste. To put this in perspective, 25 of the 28 member states had EPR plans for packaging, generating over 78.6 million tonnes of material [9]. There are also take-back programs that are not formally recognized as EPR plans such as drugs and sharps that are taken back to pharmacies and healthcare providers. These schemes are responsible for ensuring that pharmaceutical and sharps wastes do not enter domestic waste streams and are properly treated in line with national law. Many countries require the burning or decontamination of pharmaceutical waste to prevent reuse.
Healthcare waste is handled from the point of generation to its final disposal in many different jurisdictions. Unfortunately, the practical management of this waste stream is fraught with complexity and vastly different management realities. While not a high volume waste stream, it is a challenging one because of its real and perceived risks, which include the spread of infection, acute injury, or persistent effects on the environment, such as by products such as pharmaceutical and chemotherapy treatments. There has been improvement in areas around the world where there has been increased regulatory accountability, education, and honest management of these health care
waste management in Bangalore. It has reduced the amount of waste classified under this hazard, helped to identify exactly where other hazardous materials should go and reduced the amount of non-hazardous waste from improperly moving through a hazardous waste stream. Has occurred. As nations become more safety conscious and environmentally conscious, there will be smarter and technologically advanced options for the ultimate treatment and disposal of healthcare waste, meeting the overall goal of infection control and waste reduction.
0 Comments