Biomedical Waste Contract Awarded

A new and modernized method will soon be used to dispose of Nova Scotia's biomedical waste.

The Department of Health has granted a conditional contract to Medic Delivery Services Limited of Dartmouth to provide the transportation and disposal of gauze, plastics and other biomedical waste, the department announced today, April 6.

"This company has a proven track record in transportation of waste and we were extremely impressed with the detail and preparation of its proposal," said Barry Lampier, manager of infrastructure management for the Health Department. "The company's proposed method of chemically treating and then destroying the waste was determined by the committee as the best route to go."

Medic Delivery Services has been transporting the province's 2.3 million kilograms of biomedical waste from metro to Sydney, where it has been incinerated.

Under the new plan, the company will collect the waste from hospitals and treat it at a new facility it will build in the Uniacke Industrial Park, about 20 kilometres from Sackville on Highway 101.

The waste will be shred, chemically treated and reduced by 90 per cent before being transferred to a landfill site that is scheduled to open in West Hants in January, 2006.

"We have been preparing for this tender opportunity for more than five years," said Peter Caldarozzi, owner of Medic Delivery Services Limited. "We have worked hard to ensure the groundwork required to implement this service contract. We are confident we can meet all regulations necessary."

As part of the five-year contract, Medic Delivery must show that all environmental and regulatory requirements will be met.

If all associated municipal, provincial and federal approvals are granted, the treatment facility will be built this fall and should be operational by December.