Only certified organizations will be allowed to dispose of medical wastes since next March in Shanghai, said sources with the municipal government.

Shanghai, the country's economic hub, has recently promulgated regulations on medical waste treatment to effectively mitigate related pollution to environment. The rules will come into effect on March 1, 2007.

Under the regulations, medical wastes should be disposed of in a centralized way. On the basis of public bidding, the municipal administration of environmental protection will decide which candidates should be entitled to undertake the work.

The whole process of medical waste treatment will be put under scrutiny with a real-time digital monitoring system and an online monitoring system for water and air pollution control.

Those producing medical wastes should pay the waste treatment units for the disposal operation, and the charging criteria will be set jointly by local price regulation, health and environmental protection authorities.

In compliance with the regulations, an emergency scheme will be worked out for any possible pollution incidents caused by medical wastes.

There are now in Shanghai more than 2,400 hospitals and clinics, producing approximately 20,000 tons of medical wastes annually. Centralized treatment facilities in the city are able to dispose of 20,000 tons of medical wastes a year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2006)