Management of Healthcare Facilities Hazardous Waste (HFHW)

1. Packaging and temporary storage

The packaging of the hazardous waste is done in special Hospital Box type cardboard boxes, certified for the temporary storage and transport of hazardous waste from healthcare units. The waste is temporarily stored, within the healthcare unit (HFHW producer), in special HFHW temporary storage cold rooms.

2. Collection and transportation

Collection of cartons with hazardous medical waste (HFHW) and their transport from the HFHW temporary storage cold rooms of the Health Unit (HU), to a refrigerated truck of our company, with special specifications for HFHW. This stage is carried out by our company's staff, in collaboration with the managers of the special areas (refrigerators) for temporary storage of hazardous medical waste of the Health Unit (HU), while the relevant Identification Form for the collection and transport of hazardous waste is also drawn up, in accordance with the applicable legislation.

3. Processing and final disposal

The hazardous waste is delivered to licensed facilities for the treatment and final disposal of hazardous waste from healthcare units (hazardous waste recipient).

HFHW Treatment Facilities

GENERAL CHEMICAL APPLICATIONS has a cooperation agreement for the treatment/sterilization and final disposal of PIHW with the company APOSTEIROSI S.A. The sterilization unit of the company APOSTEIROSI S.A. has environmental conditions approval and operating approval from the Region of Thessaly, while it is registered in the Electronic Waste Registry with registration number 64-4.

Also, GENERAL CHEMICAL APPLICATIONS has a cooperation agreement for the treatment/incineration of MHW-OHW with the company EPALTHEA S.A., which is responsible for the operation, management and maintenance of the incineration unit of the Special Inter-Level Association of the Prefecture of Attica (EDSNA). The incineration unit of EDSNA has environmental conditions approval from the Ministry of Environment and operating approval from the Region of Attica, while it is registered in the Electronic Waste Registry with registration number 4531-4.

The transport vehicles meet the following specifications:

1. are suitable and equipped with an ADR & ATP approval certificate,
2. are of appropriate size according to the Highway Code,
3. are special, completely closed and leakproof,
4. have the ability to cool ≤80C,
5. do not have a compression mechanism,
6. allow safe transport,
7. are easily washed and disinfected and have facilities for the personal protection of the driver and operators,
8. have a partition between the driver's cabin and the vehicle body that ensures the safety of maintaining the load in the event of a collision,
9. have an appropriate security system that ensures that the load does not move during its transport,
10. have rounded internal corners to avoid retaining liquid leaks,
11. there is a separate compartment for
12. emergency equipment,
    have appropriate protective clothing, tools and disinfectant along with special indicators for collecting and examining liquid leaks,
13. have the required equipment (such as appropriate fire extinguishers and warning vest),
14. are equipped with the supporting documents required by ADR,
15. have a logbook with the data of the waste transporters' shifts.

HFHW transport vehicles are specially marked with diamond-shaped plates measuring 250 x 250 mm, which are placed on the front and rear of the vehicle. The required plates are described in detail in P.D. 104/99 as amended and in force. The plate includes a symbol with three crescents placed in a circle and means that the waste is infectious and must be kept separate in vehicles and at loading, unloading or transhipment points from food, other consumer goods and animal feed.

HFHW transport vehicles also have a hazard identification plate, which is given a specific “material identification number”. The hazard identification number is written at the top and the material identification number at the bottom, on an orange background with a frame, horizontal lines and black digits 15mm thick. The height of the letters is 10 cm and the size of the sign is 40cm X min 30cm. The sides of the vehicle are marked "Hazardous Medical Waste".

The vehicles are not used for the transport of other materials or waste.

After each unloading at the processing units, the vehicles are cleaned and disinfected and a relevant disinfection certificate is issued.

Telematic management and monitoring of collection and transport processes

GENERAL CHEMICAL APPLICATIONS has specialized equipment and software for the complete and continuous control of the managed HFHW produced by the Health Units collaborating with the company. In addition, and in accordance with the requirements of the relevant applicable legislation, the company and the HFHW transport vehicles have special equipment and GPS system software with the ability to monitor, in real time, the geographical location of the vehicles and record their daily route.