MEDICAL WASTE INCINERATION
UNNECESSARY,
CONCLUDES REPORT TO BE RELEASED TODAY
Alternatives Disinfect Medical Waste Without
Producing Dioxin
Washington, DC --
Medical waste should not be incinerated due to the availability
of viable alternatives that are safer, cleaner, do not produce
dioxin and are just as effective at disinfection, according
to a report released today by Health Care Without Harm, an international
coalition of doctors, hospitals and public health advocates
with 335 members in 36 countries.
The long-awaited report, released today in communities around
the world that are opposing incinerators, is the most comprehensive
information available to date on the pros and cons of alternatives
to medical waste incineration. The report explores the environmental
and economic impacts, among other considerations, of about 50
specific technologies.
"The report proves that the incineration of medical waste is
not necessary from a technical standpoint. By choosing a cleaner
non-incineration technology, hospitals can demonstrate their
commitment to protecting public health and our environment,"
said the report's primary author, Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, a chemical
engineer, chemist and environmental consultant who has been
studying medical waste treatment technologies for more than
a decade.
"Incineration does not make medical waste disappear. The gas
byproducts and resulting toxic ash endanger our health and the
health of future generations," Dr. Emmanuel said.
Incinerators release a variety of pollutants into the air, including
dioxin, a known carcinogen that has been linked to birth defects,
immune system disorders and other harmful health effects. Most
other waste disposal technologies do not produce dioxin, the
report found.
"For years, health experts and community groups have opposed
medical waste incineration because of concerns about dangerous
emissions, but they lacked concrete data about what choices
might be better for human health and the environment," said
Jackie Hunt Christensen, co-coordinator of Health Care Without
Harm. "This report offers a wealth of information to help health
care staff work with their communities to choose medical waste
treatment methods that can protect people, the planet and the
'bottom line.'"
While the report found that alternative technologies emit fewer
pollutants and often cost less than incineration, it also concluded
that no one technology is a panacea to the problem of medical
waste disposal. "There is no magic box solution to make medical
waste disappear. For that reason we urge all hospitals to follow
the example of many American households by reducing disposable
materials, separating waste and recycling whenever possible,"
Christensen said.
In light of the report, Health Care Without Harm recommends
that health care facilities replace incineration with an appropriate
alternative technology and adopt a waste-management framework
that places a high priority on waste segregation and minimization.
Copies of the report are available online at www.noharm.org,
or by contacting Jolie Patterson at Health Care Without Harm,
(202) 234-0091, or emailing info@hcwh.org.
Read the Executive Summary at:
http://www.noharm.org/library/docs/Non-Incineration_Medical_Waste_Treatment_Te_2.pdf
Read the Full Text:
http://www.noharm.org/library/docs/Non
Incineration_Medical_Waste_Treatment_Techn.pdf
Contact: Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, 510-799-2551; Jackie Hunt Christensen,
612-870-3424; Stacy Malkan, 202-234-0091
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