Accepting your medical waste responsibility... ethically

Are you a health care provider, general practitioner, surgeon, medical institution, tattoo artist or civilian aware of the legal implications of incorrect disposal of medical waste?

Do you provide medical or related services without a true and clear understanding of the prescribed policies and regulations when it comes to medical waste disposal? If so, you can't afford to miss the 2nd Biennial Health Care Waste Summit and Expo 2011 to be held at Emperor's Palace, Johannesburg, Gauteng from 18-19 May 2011.

The Institute of Waste Management of South Africa (IWMSA) in association with its Health Care Waste Forum (HCWF) branch, are the proud hosts of this event. Through extensive research undertaken throughout the year, the IWMSA and HCWF have developed the very best Summit programs for senior level decision-makers and the results set the Summit agenda which is headed by the theme, Accepting your Medical Waste Responsibility ... Ethically

In recent years there has been an alarming amount of press regarding health care risk waste and improper disposal thereof. Previously, civil society had not been given a platform to voice their concerns regarding the hazards of improper health care waste management, and the IWMSA and HCWF are determined to facilitate the voicing of these concerns in a legitimate manner.

This Summit seeks to highlight risk awareness, public exposure and the subject of incinerator capacity, as well as to lobby emphatically for responsible and ethical health care waste practices, and to explore the impact of legislation on this sector, such as the New Waste Act.

Unsafe disposal poses immense public health risks

The unsafe disposal of health care waste poses immense public health risks. Contaminated needles and syringes represent a particular threat as the failure to dispose of them safely may lead to dangerous recycling and repackaging which in turn leads to unsafe, even deadly reuse, especially where waste is dumped into areas without restricted access. Epidemiological studies indicate that a person who experiences one needle stick injury from a needle used on an infected source patient has risks of 30%, 1.8%, and 0.3% respectively of becoming infected with HBV, HCV and HIV.

The Health Care Waste Summit & Expo 2011 intends to promote an advanced and collaborative single vision strategy which ensures adherence to the utmost professional delivery of international standards and ethical practice in modern health care waste management. The event also features an 841m2 exhibition floor where service and solution providers will showcase their products and services.

The IWMSA's president, Stan Jewaskiewitz, says the summit will be a "Stimulating, interactive experience with panel discussions, case studies and facilitated open sessions for debate and deliberation."

All invited

Providers of health care and related services, both government and private, are invited to attend and can visit the HCWF website on www.hcwforum.org for online registration forms This includes hospitals, laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, transporters of health care waste, treatment plants, clinic managers and supervisors, and representatives from provincial and national government organisations, to name a few.

Watch the press for more details regarding speakers and topics of discussion.

The IWMSA is a professional, multi-disciplinary organisation with voluntary membership established to promote the science and practice of waste management and is a non-profit organisation.

For more information contact the IWMSA at +27 (0)83 448 8233, email: az.oc.asmwi@selas or visit www.iwmsa.co.za.