Environmental Protection Tribunal Orders EPA To Seal Shaheen Labs

ISLAMABAD, Feb 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Feb, 2023 ) :The Environmental Protection Tribunal has directed the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) to seal Shaheen Laboratories situated in Blue Area for violating environmental and hospital waste management laws.

Deputy Director Legal and Enforcement of Pak-EPA told APP that the Shaheen Labs was involved in poor management of hazardous waste and disposal that was posing a serious risk to health, nature, and the environment at large.

The unhygienic and poor hazardous waste management practices by the Shaheen Labs were tantamount to the violation of Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA), 1997, and National Hospital Waste Management Rules (HWMR) 2005.

The EPA, earlier, had initiated disciplinary action against pathology laboratories for flouting PEPA 1997 and HWMR 2005.

The hospital waste management was crucial as its unorganized disposal resulted in the reuse and recycling of hazardous contaminated items for manufacturing household-use plastic products.

Some 66 public and private hospitals and pathology labs in the blue area had been sent notices for violating PEPA, 1997 and HWMR, 2005.

During the enforcement in November 2021, the hospitals found violating the regulations were Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Shifa Medical Center, NORI Hospital, PNS Hafeez, Naval Hosptial, KRL Hospital, Ali Medical Centre, MAROOF International Hospital, SARF Hospital, Get Well Medical Centre, Life Care Hospital, Maryam Hospital, Agha Khan University Hospital, Agha Khan Laboratory collection unit, PAEC General Hospital, Naqaish Hospital, Ali Hospital, CDA Hospital, Islamic International Dental Hospital, Fatima Medical Laboratory, Excel Laboratories, Islamabad Health Complex, Pak Hospital, Khan Medical Centre, Asif Medical Centre, Abbas Medical Centre, Maryam Hospital, Gul Hospital and Maternity Home, Alam Medical Centre, Islamabad Dental Hospital, Federal General Hospital, Shafi Hospital, Begam Jan Hospital, Karachi Hospital, Health Care Medical Center, Rawal Medical & Dental Hospital, Islamabad Medical Complex, Humaira Medical Centre, Shangla Health Clinic, Medicsi, Lodhi Medical Store, Samar Clinic, Asia Diagnostic Centre, Super Lab & Diagnostic Centre, MaxHealth Hospital, My Clinic, Crescent Lab & Diagnostic Centre, South East Hospital, Ch M Hussain Natt Trust Hospital, Vital Diagnostic Centre, Salma & Kafeel Medical Services, Excel Labs, Bio Diagnostic Center, Modern Healthcare Hospital, Federal General Hospital, Shaheen Medical Laboratories, Prime Health Labs, Perfect Diagnostic Center, Khyber Dental Clinic, Jinnah Laboratory, Islamabad Medical Center, Bilquis Memorial Hospital and International Laser Hair Transplant.

The Chief Executive Officers of the above healthcare facilities were served notices to appear in their personal capacity and brief the Agency on their conduct and ensure compliance of the laws to provide an environment and human-friendly business.

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