THE Department of Health is still exporting medical waste to Britain despite recently published British guidelines urging waste disposal companies there to cease importing waste.
The guidelines, from the British Environmental Protection Agency, came into force on June 1st. They follow 1992 EU legislation prohibiting trans frontier shipment of clinical waste, and, secondary British legislation to bring this into UK law in 1994.
The Irish Government is seeking derogation from the UK guidelines, pending the construction of a "non incinerator solution" to the problem of the disposal of clinical waste, according to the Department of Health. Meanwhile it continues to export waste to companies which have contracted to deal with it.
According to the Fianna Fail environment spokesman, Mr Noel Dempsey, it is only a matter of time before these licences expire. Hospitals have shut down their incinerators because of a lack of resources to upgrade their facilities to new EU standards.
"Clinical waste, including contaminated blood, needles and the by products of radium treatment, is potentially extremely dangerous. The Departments of Health and the Environment allowed existing facilities to be shut down without making any further provision. Hospitals and health boards have not been informed and no contingency plans made for what is now a crisis situation", he said.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, rejected Mr Dempsey's "ham fisted attempt to talk up a waste crisis".
He said in a statement: "The UK authorities have accepted the well reasoned case made by the Irish authorities to allow for the continued export on an indefinite basis to the UK for disposal of hazardous waste which requires high temperature incineration.
"The Government accepts that Ireland needs to pursue a policy of self sufficiency in relation to the disposal of other wastes which do not require high temperature incineration.
"When the arrangements now being pursued are in place, the position in Ireland in relation to the disposal of all healthcare waste will have improved immeasurably over previous arrangements. There is no indication that significant difficulties will be experienced in Ireland in dealing with all healthcare wastes in the meantime."
A statement from the Department of Health said: "Arrangements to put new non incineration disposal systems in place are being developed in conjunction with the Northern Ireland health service, because this is a matter which affects all Ireland."
These arrangements would include separating municipal waste from waste and from "healthcare waste". The former can be disposed of by local authorities. The latter needs special treatment, including return to supplier or instruction by a hazardous waste contractor; grinding disinfection followed by landfill; or measures outlined by Radiological Protection Institute.