Chronic N/A ecotoxicity N/A Persistence Bioaccumulation N/A Where are the Generation Transport Storage Treatment Recovery Final disposal risks of impacts most likely? High Moderate Moderate Medium N/A N/A Needle stick injuries occur in Australia at low relative frequency to the number of sharps handled in the health care system but, overall, the estimate of 18,000 needle stick injury incidents per year2 (in Australian health care) is unacceptably high. Has anything Public incidents of exposure to waste pharmaceuticals, drugs or medicines in Australia, are happened typically through individual cases of needle-stick injury from standing on hypodermic before in syringes in public places, discarded carelessly by needle users. Australia? In June 2000, six children were diagnosed with a mild form of smallpox (vaccinia virus) after having played with glass ampoules containing expired smallpox vaccine at a garbage dump in Vladivostok (Russia) 3. Although the infections were not life-threatening, the vaccine ampoules should have been treated before being discarded. Australian hospitals have stringent policies and procedures in place to ensure segregation, signage, labelling and containerisation of these wastes, as well as clear management responsibility. Hospitals also have waste management plans, procedures and training programs that require strict handling practices. The Biohazard Waste Industry, as part of the Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA), publishes a comprehensive Industry – Industry Code of Practice for the Management of Clinical and systematic Related Wastes 4. controls What control Best practice standards have been developed in Australia5: measures are in - The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) Standards place to of Practice for the Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs in Pharmacy manage risks Departments (2004) posed by this - The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) Standards waste? of Practice for the Transportation of Cytotoxic Drugs from Pharmacy Departments (2007) Industry As described in The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia – exposure (SHPA) Standards of Practice for the Safe Handling of Cytotoxic controls Drugs in Pharmacy Departments (2004) 5 State and territory governments regulate the management of hazardous waste in their respective jurisdictions in Australia. These Government place strict controls on the methods of transport, treatment and disposal of all hazardous wastes, including waste pharmaceuticals,
Chronic ecotoxicity N/A Persistence N/A Bioaccumulation N/A Where are the risks of impacts most likely? Generation Transport Storage Treatment Recovery Final disposal High Moderate Moderate Medium N/A N/A Has anything happened before in Australia? Needle stick injuries occur in Australia at low relative frequency to the number of sharps handled in the health care system but, overall, the estimate of 18,000 needle stick injury incidents per year2 (in Australian health care) is unacceptably high. Public incidents of exposure to waste pharmaceuticals, drugs or medicines in Australia, are typically through individual cases of needle-stick injury from standing on hypodermic syringes in public places, discarded carelessly by needle users. In June 2000, six children were diagnosed with a mild form of smallpox (vaccinia virus) after having played with glass ampoules containing expired smallpox vaccine at a garbage dump in Vladivostok (Russia) 3. Although the infections were not life-threatening, the vaccine ampoules should have been treated before being discarded. What control measures are in place to manage risks posed by this waste? Industry – systematic controls Australian hospitals have stringent policies and procedures in place to ensure segregation, signage, labelling and containerisation of these wastes, as well as clear management responsibility. Hospitals also have waste management plans, procedures and training programs that require strict handling practices. The Biohazard Waste Industry, as part of the Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA), publishes a comprehensive Industry Code of Practice for the Management of Clinical and Related Wastes 4. Best practice standards have been developed in Australia5: - The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) Standards of Practice for the Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs in Pharmacy Departments (2004) - The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) Standards of Practice for the Transportation of Cytotoxic Drugs from Pharmacy Departments (2007) Industry – exposure controls As described in The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) Standards of Practice for the Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs in Pharmacy Departments (2004) 5 Government State and territory governments regulate the management of hazardous waste in their respective jurisdictions in Australia. These place strict controls on the methods of transport, treatment and disposal of all hazardous wastes, including waste pharmaceuticals,
hazardous-waste-impacts.docx