Page 174 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 1990
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In 1988 a consultant was commissioned to determine the amount and type of clinical waste being generated in the ACT and to define a management strategy to deal with it. This study was undertaken in consultation with the ACT City Engineering Section and the then ACT Community and Health Service and the Trades and Labour Council of the ACT. The final report was circulated to concerned union, private sector and departmental agencies at the end of 1988 for comment.
This Bill is based on that report and the need for legislation in the ACT. This legislation is the culmination of work that was initiated prior to self-government, under the Commonwealth Government, carried on by the Follett Labor Government and the good offices of Minister Grassby and now actioned immediately by the Alliance Government.
This legislation will cover all institutions and premises in the ACT generating, transporting, storing or disposing of clinical wastes. The Bill defines the nature and identity of clinical wastes and sets down procedures for the storage, transport and disposal of such materials.
The Bill provides for minimum requirements for procedures covering various aspects of the storage, treatment, transport and disposal of these wastes. Licences will be issued under the legislation to permit transport and disposal of these wastes. The Bill also provides for the appointment of a clinical waste controller to oversee the operation in the ACT.
The controller will appoint inspectors to enforce the Act's provisions, and they will be able to enter and inspect premises connected with the storage, treatment, transport or disposal of these wastes. Special procedures will be required for the disposal of this waste material. In most instances incineration will be required.
Penalties are provided for by the Act for handling, transporting, storing or disposing of such wastes in a manner likely to cause injury or disease or for obstructing inspectors in the execution of their duties. The controller's decisions relating to licence provisions will be appealable to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Detailed procedures for the management of clinical wastes will be laid down in a manual under the Bill. The manual will be based on the findings of the consultant's report and on similar documents produced by clinical waste authorities in other States. A consultation process, similar to that utilised on the draft Bill, will also be undertaken on the manual. This manual will be subject to disallowance by the members of the Assembly.
The introduction of this legislation is consistent with initiatives being taken in a number of Australian States.
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