Galway Bay fm newsroom - Galway Hospitals and healthcare facilities have recorded an increase of 30 per cent in waste disposal costs since the beginning of the pandemic.
Covid-19 PPE waste is the main factor behind the jump in disposal expenditure, as any clinical waste generated from suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19 must be treated as a risk for contamination.
Community Healthcare West has seen an increase of €42,000 euro to date in its expenditure in dealing with household and clinical waste due to the ongoing pandemic.
The Waste generated from dealing with Coronavirus patients is treated as infectious and must be disposed of following strict UN guidelines.
Any PPE used while in contact with a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19 is packaged in UN approved clinical waste packaging and collected in special designated yellow wheelie bins.
This material is then collected by a Healthcare Risk Waste Contractor and disposed of safely.
Hospitals and healthcare facilities in the West have had to increase the number of collections every week due to the large increase in the use of disposable personnel protective equipment.
UHG in the city has seen an increase in costs of over €18,000 between March and July, while Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe has recorded an increase of almost €12,000 from the start of the year to August.
Both hospitals have now enacted cost saving measures to tackle the increase.
PPE worn by staff in non COVID areas is disposed of in regular household waste streams.
UHG and Portiuncula Hospitals are also securing reusable gowns for staff that can be safety decontaminated.
