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The Waste Disposal (Clinical Waste) (General) Regulation (General Regulation) and the Waste Disposal (Charge for Disposal of Clinical Waste) Regulation are gazetted today (June 18) alongside the Waste Disposal (Amendment) Ordinance 2006 (Commencement) Notice 2010.
"To safeguard public health, the Government intends to implement the Clinical Waste Control Scheme to ensure clinical waste is handled and disposed of in an environmentally sound and safe manner," a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said.
Under the Control Scheme, clinical waste producers (e.g. hospitals and clinics) will have to employ licensed waste collectors to collect and transport their clinical waste for treatment and disposal at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre.
"The details of regulatory requirements of the Control Scheme and the charge for disposal of clinical waste are set out in the two Regulations. Two Codes of Practice are also issued today to provide guidance to clinical waste producers and waste collectors on the handling and management of clinical waste," the spokesman said.
Subject to the approval of the Legislative Council, the licensing provisions in the General Regulation will take effect on November 19, 2010. This will allow clinical waste collectors and disposal facilities operators to obtain the relevant licences before the commencement of the Control Scheme in early 2011.
The relevant regulatory control requirements and the two Codes of Practice are available at the EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk/epd/clinicalwaste/ .
Ends/Friday, June 18, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:01
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