Clinical and related waste
Requirements for managing clinical waste
Revised regulatory requirements for managing clinical waste commenced on 28 April 2008. These amendments were made under the Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Scheduled Activities and Waste) Regulation 2008 following significant consultation with industry and the broader community in 2007.
The revised requirements bring the regulation of clinical waste into line with contemporary clinical waste management, in particular the management of ‘sharps’ waste as recommended by NSW Health.
Summary of the changes
Clinical and related waste is now pre-classified as a ‘special waste’. This allows the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) to set more stringent and specific requirements for the transport and management of the waste to minimise the risk to the environment and human health.
The definition of 'clinical and related waste' under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 includes clinical waste; cytotoxic waste; pharmaceutical, drug or medicine waste; and sharps waste.
Waste managers/operators who transport, store, treat or dispose of clinical and related waste should check the details of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act and the Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2005 for licensing and generic requirements in relation to clinical waste.
Page last updated: 27 April 2011
