Criminal negligence: Hazardous incinerator at Polyclinic shut down
Pak-EPA had pointed out the outdated machine was a serious health risk.
Poisonous gases emitted from the incinerator can cause skin allergies and in the long term, lead to cancer, especially in newborn babies, says an official at Polyclinic Hospital. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
An old incinerator placed near the labour ward of Polyclinic Hospital has been shut down after it was found to be a serious health risk.
“The outdated incinerator was a serious health risk for patients and visitors as it released poisonous gases,” said Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Director General Asif Shuja.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Shuja said the incinerator was not in working condition and was being used by the hospital administration, even though it was polluting the environment.
“Such incinerators are banned all over the world but unfortunately they are being used without any fear of reprimand in our country,” he said.
Shuja said the hospital administration claimed they were not burning hospital waste that emitted poisonous gases as it was sent to the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) in Morgah, Rawalpindi. “However, when the Pak-EPA asked NCPC they said they were not receiving any hospital solid waste for disposal from Polyclinic.” Incinerators should not be placed in residential areas as the gases produced cause serious health risks, he added.
The secretary of the climate change division has called a meeting of all the heads of federal hospitals to discuss this issue, Shuja stated. “The Pak-EPA has suggested the federal government establish a place where all hospital waste can be properly disposed of.”
Meanwhile, a senior official at Polyclinic Hospital, requesting anonymity, said, “The hospital administration is awaiting funds to purchase a new incinerator which will be installed either at its Maternal Newborn Child Health centre in Sector G-6 or at it’s Civil Surgeon Dispensary in Sector G-7.”
The incinerator was installed in 1988 near the labour room but was shut down a few days ago for being hazardous, he added. “Poisonous gases emitted from the incinerator can cause skin allergies, asthma, damage eyes and, in the long term, lead to cancer, especially in newborn babies.”
There are around 545 beds in the hospital and non-infectious waste produced daily by each patient is around 0.5kg, infectious waste is 0.2kg and municipal waste is 1.2 kg.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2013.
An old incinerator placed near the labour ward of Polyclinic Hospital has been shut down after it was found to be a serious health risk.
“The outdated incinerator was a serious health risk for patients and visitors as it released poisonous gases,” said Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Director General Asif Shuja.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Shuja said the incinerator was not in working condition and was being used by the hospital administration, even though it was polluting the environment.
“Such incinerators are banned all over the world but unfortunately they are being used without any fear of reprimand in our country,” he said.
Shuja said the hospital administration claimed they were not burning hospital waste that emitted poisonous gases as it was sent to the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) in Morgah, Rawalpindi. “However, when the Pak-EPA asked NCPC they said they were not receiving any hospital solid waste for disposal from Polyclinic.” Incinerators should not be placed in residential areas as the gases produced cause serious health risks, he added.
The secretary of the climate change division has called a meeting of all the heads of federal hospitals to discuss this issue, Shuja stated. “The Pak-EPA has suggested the federal government establish a place where all hospital waste can be properly disposed of.”
Meanwhile, a senior official at Polyclinic Hospital, requesting anonymity, said, “The hospital administration is awaiting funds to purchase a new incinerator which will be installed either at its Maternal Newborn Child Health centre in Sector G-6 or at it’s Civil Surgeon Dispensary in Sector G-7.”
The incinerator was installed in 1988 near the labour room but was shut down a few days ago for being hazardous, he added. “Poisonous gases emitted from the incinerator can cause skin allergies, asthma, damage eyes and, in the long term, lead to cancer, especially in newborn babies.”
There are around 545 beds in the hospital and non-infectious waste produced daily by each patient is around 0.5kg, infectious waste is 0.2kg and municipal waste is 1.2 kg.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2013.