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)