Hospital Waste: Sealed health facilities warned

EPA says health facilities have been warned of being sealed permanently if any further violation was observed

ISLAMABAD: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered the sealed health facilities to provide compliance reports regarding the violation of Environment Protection Act. Earlier this week, EPA had sealed the seven health facilities and diagnostic centres in Islamabad after inspecting and finding these facilities in violation of Health Waste Management Rules. EPA Director General Farzana Altaf said that these health facilities had been warned of being sealed permanently if any further violation was observed. DG said among these health centres few have submitted their reports already and it is hoped that the rest will follow the rules as well. Environment monitoring team observed that these facilities were being operated in violation of Hospital Waste Management Rules 2005 and the provisions of Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2017.