The 6th edition of the BWI Industry Code of Practice for the Management of Clinical and Related Wastes was launched at Enviro 2010, Australia’s premier sustainability conference.

The Code of Practice was released following extensive consultation with State/Territory Health, Environment and Occupational Health & Safety Agencies as well as a number of Medical/Nursing professional Associations.

The Code of Practice has been developed to ensure that clinical and related wastes are segregated, containerised, transported, treated and disposed of in a manner that promotes “best practice”. Following the guidelines in the Code should ensure not only environmental benefits, but also that wastes are managed in a safe and cost-effective manner.

This 6th Edition of the Code of Practice is endorsed by both EPA Victoria and the Department of Environment WA as the guidelines for each of these States in relation to management of clinical and related wastes. This endorsement complements that already provided by The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards which states that the Code of Practice is the minimum standard that healthcare facilities should meet in respect to waste management when undergoing EQuIP accreditation.

The endorsement by EPA Victoria and the Department of Environment WA means that generators and managers of clinical and related waste in those jurisdictions are required to refer to the Code of Practice for management requirements.

BWI was formed in 1994 (changing its name from ANZCWMIG in 2007) to develop and promote consistent standards for the management of Clinical and Related Wastes based on what is recognised as “best practice”. Members of BWI include waste transporters/disposal facility operators, consultants to the healthcare sector, tertiary institutions, medical device manufacturers and other stakeholders.

If you are a clinical waste generator, you may be interested in joining BWI’s Associate Health Care Group. Membership in this group includes a complementary copy of the Code of Practice, as well as a complimentary copy of the BWI Education Kit. Other resources are also available to assist you in managing clinical and related waste. To obtain more information on the Associate Health Care Group, please click here.

For more information about BWI please contact the WMAA on 02 8746 5055 or or email info@clinicalwaste.org.