Archived publication

This publication is no longer current or has been superseded.

Appendix 2: Medical and Related Businesses

This appendix contains the medical and related industries that were studied for the What’s in your waste? report. These included dentists, doctors and mortuaries.

A2.1 Dentistry
ANZSIC Code: O862300

Process Raw materials Waste stream Type of waste Waste constituent Current management practices
(best management practice in bold) 		New Zealand Waste List entry
(* waste should be treated as hazardous)
Filling removal   Amalgam waste Solid Mercury, silver, tin Filtered through gravity-fed sedimentation suction system, stored under water and then collected for disposal or reclamation

Collected by a waste contractor for silver recovery 		18 01 10*
Amalgam waste from dental care
Composite resin Solid Composite resin Filtered through gravity-fed sedimentation suction system, stored under water and then collected for disposal or reclamation 18 01 04
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection
Blood Liquid Blood Collected through suction system
X-ray production See photo processing – mini labs X-ray chemicals Liquid Developer Collected by a waste contractor for silver recovery

Discharged to sewer if have on-site silver recovery unit 		09 01 01*
Water-based developer and activator solutions
Fixer 09 01 04*
Fixer solutions
Sedation   Sedation gas Gas Nitrous oxide Extracted through ventilation system for outside emission Not classified, as gases are not covered in NZWL
Etching of teeth   Acids Liquid Trichloroacetic acid, ether Discharged to sewer if discharge meets trade waste consent

Pacified, solidified and landfilled 		18 01 07
Chemicals other than those mentioned in 18 01 06*
Cleaning equipment   Ultrasonic bath solution Liquid Water, detergent Discharged to sewer if discharge meets trade waste consent

Pacified, solidified and landfilled 		18 01 04
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements in order to prevent infection
General practices   Sharps Solid Sharps, anaesthetic needles Incinerated by a waste collector, disposed of in an autoclave or sterilised 18 01 03*
Wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements to prevent infection
Contaminated wastes Solid Tissue, teeth, contaminated paper Incinerated by a waste collector 18 01 03*
Wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements to prevent infection
Rubbish Solid Paper Recycled

Disposed of through municipal waste collection 		20 01 01
Paper and cardboard
Antiseptics and detergents Liquid Antiseptics, detergents and soaps Discharged to sewer 18 01 04
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements to prevent infection

Industry contacts

Medical Industry Associatisssson of New Zealand, PO Box 8378, Auckland

NZ Dental Association, PO Box 28084, Remuera, Auckland

A2.2 Doctors’ surgeries
ANZSIC Code: 0862100

Process Waste stream Type of waste Waste constituent Current management practices
(best management practice in bold) 		New Zealand Waste List entry
(* waste should be treated as hazardous)
General practice Sharps Solid Sharps Incinerated by a waste collector, disposed of in an autoclave or sterilised 18 01 03*
Wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements to prevent infection
Pathological wastes Solid Infected tissue, dressings, syringes, swabs Incinerated by waste collector 18 01 03*
Wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements to prevent infection
Sterilising solutions Liquid Antiseptics Discharged to sewer 18 01 04
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements to prevent infection
Medicines Solid, liquid Expired medicines Diluted (where applicable) and discharged to sewer 18 01 09
Medicines other than those mentioned in 18 01 08*
Detergents Liquid Detergents Discharged to sewer 20 01 30
Detergents other than those mentioned in 20 01 29*

Industry contacts

Capital Coast Health, Private Bag 7902, Wellington

Medical Industry Association of New Zealand, PO Box 8378, Auckland

A2.3 Mortuaries
ANZSIC Code: Q952400

Process Waste stream Type of waste Waste constituent Current management practices
(best management practice in bold)		 New Zealand Waste List entry
(* waste should be treated as hazardous)
Embalming Body fluids Liquid Blood Disposed of to sewer 18 01 03*
Wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements to prevent infection
Embalming solution Liquid Formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde (1.5–2%) Remnants discharged to sewer 18 01 06*
Chemicals consisting of or containing hazardous substances
Cosmetic beautification Cleaning products Liquid Cleaners, soaps, shampoos, antiseptics and disinfectants Discharged to sewer 18 01 04
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements to prevent infection
Supplement products Liquid Solvents Solidified and landfilled 20 01 13*
Solvents
Adhesives, sealants 18 01 04
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements to prevent infection
Solid Tissue and feature builders Pacified and landfilled 18 01 04
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements to prevent infection
  General waste material Solid Cotton waste, gauze, disposable gloves, aprons Pacified and landfilled 18 01 04
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements to prevent infection
  Sharps Solid Sharps Sterilised, disposed of in an autoclave or incinerated by a waste collector 18 01 03*
Wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements to prevent infection
Vehicle washing Detergent Liquid Detergents, residuals of solvents and petroleum derived product wastes Discharged to sewer if meets trade waste consent 20 01 30
Detergents other than those contained in 20 01 29*

Industry contacts

Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand, PO Box 10-888, Wellington 6036

A2.4 Cleaner production case studies

By looking at the ‘big picture’, businesses can assess areas in their operation where they can minimise or manage waste. This is called Cleaner Production and means:

  • “avoiding or reducing the amount of waste produced;
  • using energy and resources efficiently;
  • producing environmentally sound products and services;
  • achieving less waste, lower costs and higher profits.” (Source: www.arc.govt.nz)

The aim of Cleaner Production is to reduce the adverse impacts of production and service activities on the environment. Implementing Cleaner Production practices has many benefits. These include consistent and significant reductions in energy and water consumption, waste disposal, emissions and associated costs including trade waste discharge costs and landfill charges. Many of these improvements result from simple "good housekeeping" changes or implementing ideas from workers themselves. Often, once Cleaner Production has been achieved in one area of the business, it becomes easier to see other areas in which it can be achieved.

A number of New Zealand companies have been involved in a series of projects that demonstrate the benefits of Cleaner Production. These businesses have received considerable support and assistance from BusinessCare and Christchurch City Council’s Target Zero team. Some of the examples of Cleaner Production initiatives are included in this section. As the New Zealand case studies do not cover the entire range of businesses researched for this report, some of the included examples are from Australia. Where this is the case, it is important to remember that the costs and savings identified are in $AUS.

This section is intended to show what can be done by businesses and does not in any way suggest in any way that this is what the Ministry for the Environment thinks should be done. The businesses shown in the case studies may not carry out the exact processes outlined in the tables above, however they are in the same type of industry. A list of websites containing further information on Cleaner Production case studies is shown in the Bibliography.

A2.4a Hospitals

Hutt Valley Health Corporation Ltd

A hospital that employs approximately 1400 staff and provides health care to 130,000 people in Wellington.

Projects implemented
  • Anatomy waste disposal – anatomical waste is now incinerated rather than landfilled. As a result only two of the three autoclaves are now required in the laboratory.
  • Reusable medicine cups – reusable medicine cups replace over 200,000 disposable medicine cups used each year. The savings assumes that the cups can be reused 120 times (not implemented at time of project).
  • Reusable bedpan covers – covers can be easily sanitised together with the bedpans using existing sanitation system.
Economic benefits
  • Medicine cups (projected)
    • Total cost: $201.60
    • Total savings: $5000
    • Payback period: 2–3 weeks.
  • Bedpan covers
    • Total cost: $147.50
    • Total savings: $350
Other benefits
  • Waste reduction.
  • Improved public perception.
  • Reduced energy costs.
Constraints
  • Negative environmental impacts from incineration of human waste have to be weighed against benefits from reduced energy consumption and landfilling.

For the full article see: www.businesscare.org.nz/material/caseStudies/index.html Please note: The case study material is in the process of being transferred from the ARC website onto the Business Care website. This article has not been transferred yet.

Flinders Medical Centre (Australia)

A public teaching hospital in Australia with 500 beds and 3000 staff.

Projects implemented
  • Waste reduction – the correct segregation has achieved significant savings and a reduction in the volume of waste incinerated by 35 percent. Also recycling of waste oils and silver recovery from old radiology films and chemicals has also significantly reduced waste.
  • Bedpan sanitiser – installation of a sanitising system replaced the previous disposal system.
Economic benefits
  • Total costs: $65,000 per annum (employment of Environment Officer).
  • Total savings: approximately $300,000 ($130,000 for bed pan sanitisers and $50,000 for the disposal of medical waste).
  • Payback period: approximately four months.
Other benefits
  • Increased employment.
  • Able to meet budget cuts.
  • Reduction in waste.
  • Improved staff awareness of environmental issues.
Constraints
  • None identified.

For the full article see:www.emcentre.com/unepweb/tec_case/health_85/house/h2.htm

 

[ | ]