Biomedical Waste Contract Awarded

The Department of Health has awarded a conditional contract to dispose of Nova Scotia's biomedical waste.

Medical Waste Management Inc. of Brampton, Ont. expects to build a site in the Burnside Industrial Park, Dartmouth. The facility will treat most of the waste through a process known as autoclaving or steam sterilization. The anatomical waste will be transported to the company's Ontario plant for incineration.

Under the contract, the company must meet all environmental and regulatory requirements. If all approvals are granted, the company will begin treating the waste in December.

Medical Waste Management Inc. scored second in the tendering process held by the department earlier this year and has been offered a conditional contract in keeping with the procurement process. The department recently withdrew its conditional offer to the first-place company.

Nova Scotia's 2.2 million kilograms of biomedical waste is currently trucked to Sydney where it is incinerated.