Biohazardous waste should not be haphazardly discarded. Infectious materials, blood and needles should not just be put in a bag that ends up with all the other garbage in trucks and then at the landfill. The improper disposal of such waste could cause a public health crisis.

The managers of the city dump in New Providence are trying to determine how such waste, allegedly originating from Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), is making it to their site.

A letter written by Renew Bahamas Chief Executive Officer Michael Cox to Deputy Hospital Administrator Sonia Rose on July 1 points to AIDS and hepatitis waste, which was referred to as "untreated medical waste", making it to the landfill. The letter says the waste was "illegally" dumped at the site, meaning it was not incinerated before it was brought there. Renew manages the New Providence landfill.

Cox told The Nassau Guardian that there have been multiple instances of this kind of waste being brought to the dump since November.

"It was labeled as biohazardous waste," he said.

"We quarantined it and then we asked the Bahamas Waste biomedical team to come in.

"We then sprayed the contaminated areas and then we moved the untreated medical waste into where we put a deep burial in our hazardous area to keep away from the general landfill, and that's where we take hazardous materials. We put it in with the other hazardous materials which are normally treated before they come to us."

Renew is seeking payment of $39,232 from PMH for having to deal with the waste that should not have been sent to the dump without being incinerated.

The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) has not concluded that the waste originated from PMH, according to Aubynette Rolle, director of quality and patient safety at the PHA.

"We are still continuing our investigation," said Rolle when contacted for an update.

Minister of the Environment Kenred Dorsett said his ministry and the relevant agencies are aware of the matter and understand the danger that these occurrences pose to the workers, those who frequent the landfill and the public.

Cox told The Nassau Guardian that Renew has evidence to show that the biohazardous waste came from PMH.

On Tuesday, Rolle said officials were awaiting evidence from Cox that the waste is from PMH, as they had no evidence it originated at the hospital.

When contacted yesterday, Rolle said Cox provided some of the requested documentation, including photos, but there were still "some gray areas".

"I received some of the requested information, but not all of it to bring a full conclusion to the matter," Rolle said.

"Hopefully by tomorrow, I would have received all supporting documentation of when these alleged incidents occurred; date and time as well as photographs that would support the claims."

It is critical that this stops. Some hospital waste is highly contagious. Waste disposal workers are initially at risk. Birds and other animals could then transport it into communities from the landfill, causing serious illnesses to spread. The Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Health should take charge of examining what is happening here to ensure that correct procedures are followed.

The proper disposal of all medical waste, whether from PMH or not, should be standardized in The Bahamas to protect public health. The government should report to the public on this matter after its investigation. All of us are at risk from this reckless behavior.

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