EPD Partnership with Trade & Industry

Poster on the proper segregation and management of clinical waste

Clinical waste is potentially dangerous because some of it is infectious and can cause injury through the presence of sharps, such as needles and scalpels. The EPD has formed partnerships with the healthcare sector to address this issue. The aim is to promote the separation of clinical waste from other waste, the proper labelling, packaging, storage and collection of clinical waste by qualified waste collectors, and the environmentally-safe disposal of the waste. The EPD has also encouraged the sector to reduce clinical waste before segregation.

All hospitals now segregate their waste for collection by special waste collectors. They have also issued staff guidelines on the handling of clinical waste and produced posters to raise awareness. The Hong Kong Medical Association (HKMA) and the Hong Kong Dental Association (HKDA) are also encouraging their members to adopt good clinical waste management practices.

The EPD has facilitated the collection process by providing the HKMA and HKDA with a list of collectors with permits to dispose of clinical waste at landfills. The list is also published on the EPD's webpage. In addition, the EPD has provided guidance to private clinical waste collectors on how to properly collect and transport the waste to landfills.

To further safeguard public health and safety from the risks posed by clinical waste, the Government has proposed a Clinical Waste Control Scheme. The scheme would legally require hospitals, clinics and other healthcare sectors to segregate clinical waste from other waste types for proper collection and disposal. It would be supported by legislation for the proper management of clinical waste.

The Government has consulted the medical, Chinese medicine, dental, pharmaceutical and veterinary sectors, tertiary and research institutions and other related organisations on the proposal. Technical advice has also been provided by the EPD. Based on the feedback, two draft Codes of Practice for the proper management of clinical waste have been prepared for hospitals, waste collectors and small clinical waste producers to adopt.

This partnership approach has resulted in encouraging support for the scheme from the healthcare profession. It is hoped the proposal will be able to improve the management of clinical waste for the betterment of the environment and public health and safety in Hong Kong.

Consultation seminars with the Hospital Authority, HKMA and HKDA