HAZARDOUS WASTE
Insist on
certified containers
self-regulation within the industry becomes more robust, there will be a reduced need for additional strain on regulatory authorities to enforce compliance.”
Certification and testing
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the collection and disposal of hazardous waste is a critical focus area that requires greater self-regulation by the industr y, general increased vigilance, and insistence on the use of cer tified containers by authorities.
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NOVEMBER 2020
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hile the focus during the ongoing pandemic has largely been on the detection and prevention of infection, Jodi Scholtz, lead administrator, SABS, stresses that there needs to be increased vigilance concerning the containment and disposal of all medical waste products. Furthermore, the end-to-end handling process of containing and disposing of hazardous waste must be guided by the various existing national standards and quality management systems. “While there are several specifications and regulations that guide the use, containment, transport and disposal of hazardous waste, there is no overarching independent verification of the overall process. Various service providers are involved at different stages of the process and there is a need for tighter controls of the overall process,” says Scholtz. “Even though discussions are under way with various regulatory stakeholders, all industries that are responsible for the disposal of hazardous materials and of its packaging or used products need to insist that service providers are using certified containers. If
In line with UN recommendations and SANS 10229-1, the Department of Transport requires that containers used to transport hazardous and medical waste be tested and that the transporters carry a certificate that provides proof of this. These certificates are valid for 12 months, effective from the date of the test. Any accredited testing authority may conduct tests and issue certificates. According to Scholtz, the SABS has been testing packaging and containers for the removal of hazardous waste since 2005 and has a dedicated and operational packaging laboratory. The SABS is also able to offer inspection services to all spheres of government and the private medical industry to ensure that the containment, collection and disposal of hazardous waste is performed according to accepted national standards. Some of the common test methods include drop tests to ensure the contents do not spill or distort, water absorption tests to ensure that the packaging is resistant, tests to validate the integrity of the packaging in various conditions, and compression tests to ensure that packaging can retain its integrity when stacked. Needle penetration tests are applicable to any medical waste packaging.
