The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa published for public comment under section 7 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008), the Draft Standards For Validation Of The Treatment Efficacy And Operation Of A Non-Combustion Technology For The Treatment of Health Care Risk Waste (HCRW) in Gazette No. 35406 of 1 June 2012.
The purpose of the Standards is to prescribe the minimum requirements for the effective and efficient testing and operation of a non-combustion treatment technology treating HCRW. Non-combustion technology is defined as a method, technique or process which results in the inactivation of potential microbial pathogens within HCRW. These standards do not apply to facilities using chemicals for the treatment of HCRW.
The draft standards specify that, amongst others, the site commissioning validation must be undertaken on each unit after the waste management licence has been issued and the device has been installed. Furthermore, the site commissioning validation test must commence with control trials followed by the test trials.
Once the validation procedure is complete, the operator must submit to the Department a validation report compiled by an independent competent person for approval. The report must include details as to the validation procedure, the challenge load used, the accredited laboratory used and confirm the efficacy of the treatment device. The facility cannot commence operation until the validation report is approved by the department.
Interested and affected parties are invited to submit written comments to the Minister within 60 days of publication of the notice in the Gazette. Written comments or inputs can be delivered by hand, mail, email or telefax transmission:
By post to:
The Director-General: Environmental Affairs
Attention: Dr Shauna Costley
Private Bag X447
Pretoria, 0001
Fax: 012 320 0024
E-mail: scostley@environment.gov.za
Hand delivered at: 315 Pretorius Street, corner Pretorius and Van Der Walt streets, Fedsure Forum, Building, 2nd Floor (Reception), North Tower.
Enquiries:
Dr Shauna Costley
Tel: 012 310 3330
Comments received after the closing date may not be considered.
The gazette notice may be downloaded from www.sawic.org.za under “Documents for Comment”.
For media queries contact:
Roopa Singh
Cell: 082 225 3076
