The Gauteng health department is investigating circumstances that led to medical waste being illegally disposed of in a field in Ormonde in Johannesburg South on Saturday.
Members of a local community watch, who were patrolling the area, stumbled across the waste material which consisted of used syringes and what looked like medical files.
“The department has reported this incident to the City of Johannesburg's environmental health section to further process the matter in line with applicable legislation,” the department said.
Health department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said it was unclear where the waste material came from.
“However, the department has a track-and-trace system for the disposal of medical waste or files in its facilities and has contracted accredited service providers to manage this process on its behalf.
“Part of the investigations will be to establish if indeed the material was from any of our institutions and who was handling it so that appropriate measures can be taken to hold those responsible accountable.”
The department has appointed a company to assess the waste material to determine what it is and remove it for proper disposal.
TimesLIVE
Gauteng health department probing illegal dumping of medical waste in field
Image: REUTERS/Hannah Beier
The Gauteng health department is investigating circumstances that led to medical waste being illegally disposed of in a field in Ormonde in Johannesburg South on Saturday.
Members of a local community watch, who were patrolling the area, stumbled across the waste material which consisted of used syringes and what looked like medical files.
“The department has reported this incident to the City of Johannesburg's environmental health section to further process the matter in line with applicable legislation,” the department said.
Health department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said it was unclear where the waste material came from.
“However, the department has a track-and-trace system for the disposal of medical waste or files in its facilities and has contracted accredited service providers to manage this process on its behalf.
“Part of the investigations will be to establish if indeed the material was from any of our institutions and who was handling it so that appropriate measures can be taken to hold those responsible accountable.”
The department has appointed a company to assess the waste material to determine what it is and remove it for proper disposal.
TimesLIVE
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