M.O.H. to build new incinerator facility

By Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi • 12 November 2023, 11:00PM

The Ministry of Health is looking at recruiting a firm for designing and constructing of a new incinerator housing facility at Tafaigata using funds from the World Bank as part of the COVID-19 Emergency Response Project.

According to a tender advertisement published on the ministry's website, they are looking for firms with extensive experience in designing similar buildings for over three years.

The interested firms should also have experience in supervising and undertaking construction work and documentary evidence of having executed at least three health projects of similar nature or equivalent.

All interested companies have been asked to address all documents of application to the Secretary of Tenders Board by December 11, 2023.

The design and construction works for the Incinerator Facility at Tafaigata, Upolu, according to the tender documents shall include design, civil, structural, electrical and mechanical engineering activities.

"Prepare and provide Preliminary Design based on the technical specifications of the MOH compliant incinerator and after assessment of the location or site where the construction works and installation of incinerator will take place at Tafaigata," the tender documents stated.

"Supply and installation of the incinerator will be covered by a separate procurement. The design of the incinerator housing facility should include: installation and construction of a concrete base with adequate structural integrity to support long-term operation of the incinerator, minimise the effects of weather events, natural disasters and stormwater runoff, include the necessary provisions for the requirement of the incinerator including the required power lines and anchor bolts, if any is required, provision of lighting and socket outlets, water supply, sanitary fittings and on-site sanitation, and any other building services as required, and address disposal of ash from new incinerator."

The plans to construct a new incinerator housing facility is included in the Health Sector Plan 2019/20-2029/30.

According to the Samoa COVID-19 Emergency Response Project World Bank (P173920) by the Ministry of Health, the Tupua Tamasese Meaole hospital (T.T.M.H.) uses an Entech incinerator designed to burn at high temperatures.

It is located away from the hospital and housed in an undercover building. The closest residential house is approximately 20 meters away. At present, this unit is sufficient in scale and effectiveness to treat all healthcare waste, and those provided by surrounding healthcare facilities.

"Though the Entech unit is operating well below optimum temperature range (only 800 degrees and not 1100 degrees) resulting in excessive smoke and breaching international best practice standards and requires higher levels of technical expertise to rectify this issue," the report highlighted.

"The TTMH incinerator is at full technical capacity and is used to burn healthcare waste 7 days a week with the two staff conducting both the incineration and the healthcare waste pick up.

"Any increase in healthcare waste treatment (such as eliminating stockpiles) can only be achieved through increasing the number of burn cycles per day (generally there are two) and this would require more staff, longer operational hours and more fuel.

"Given the incinerator is now 15 years old, a replacement unit with a higher capacity due to inevitable increases in healthcare waste is required."

For Savai'i, the report highlighted that the incinerators have been inoperable.

"The Malietoa Tanumafili II Hospital has two MediBurn 20 model incinerators (neither currently operational). One Mediburn unit is still being used by manually burning waste at low temperatures.

"The incinerators are located within a dedicated building away from the hospital and community (approximately 1km from the nearest house and Vaiaata Prision). A replacement incinerator sufficient in scale and effectiveness is required to treat all of its healthcare waste, and those provided by surrounding healthcare facilities.

This newspaper understands that M.O.H. under the Waster Management Act 2010 is "an approved waster management operator" and has a number of associated responsibilities including the provision of appropriate waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities; the promotion of recycling and the implementation of measures to minimise wastes having particular adverse implications for human health and the environment.

The Waste Management Act 2010 covers the collection, management, disposal, and recycling of waste as well as providing for registration and licensing of waste operators, permits for dumping and incinerating wastes, sets environmental standards for the management of waste, and provides for community involvement in waste management. For health care waste management, which is identified as hazardous waste, it has broad powers to regulate and audit generation, transport and disposal.

It further requires the MOH to conduct monitoring and reporting on the effects of wastes on human health and the environment.