❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the WA Country Health Service's (WACHS) vaccine transport practices, focusing on the use, reuse, and disposal of polystyrene boxes and ice packs, and comparing it to reusable systems. The Minister's answer defends the current system as reusable.
AnsweredQoN 1478Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the transport of vaccines within Western
Australia by WA Country Health Service (WACHS) in the large polystyrene boxes, and I ask: (a) how
many polystyrene
boxes are distributed by WACHS each week to each regional area (region) they administrate; (b) are
these returned to Perth after use for re-use; (c) if no to (b), why not; (d) how
many ice packs or freezer bricks are in each polystyrene
box; (e) are those packs or bricks in part (d) returned or re-used; (f) if no to (e), why not; (g) given
that Coronavirus vaccines are transported in reusable freezers or eskys, why
is this method not used for the transport of all vaccines; (h) does
the Minister support the current system of vaccine transport ending up in
landfill or littering the countryside as throw away fishing boxes; and (i) what
is the cost of providing one time vaccine transport as opposed to a reusable
system over the life of a reusable system?
Australia by WA Country Health Service (WACHS) in the large polystyrene boxes, and I ask: (a) how
many polystyrene
boxes are distributed by WACHS each week to each regional area (region) they administrate; (b) are
these returned to Perth after use for re-use; (c) if no to (b), why not; (d) how
many ice packs or freezer bricks are in each polystyrene
box; (e) are those packs or bricks in part (d) returned or re-used; (f) if no to (e), why not; (g) given
that Coronavirus vaccines are transported in reusable freezers or eskys, why
is this method not used for the transport of all vaccines; (h) does
the Minister support the current system of vaccine transport ending up in
landfill or littering the countryside as throw away fishing boxes; and (i) what
is the cost of providing one time vaccine transport as opposed to a reusable
system over the life of a reusable system?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
8 August 2023
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Health
Response time
10 days
a) Approximately 50
b) No
c) The polystyrene boxes that WACHS uses for distribution are in continual circulation in our regions and are not returned to wholesalers in Perth. Most are reused by pharmacy or vaccinators, and they are also utilised for transport and storage of non-pharmaceutical cold lines in WACHS facilities.
d) Depending on specific circumstances ice bricks can vary from 2 to 16.
e) Yes.
f) N/A
g) Vaccines are generally transported in either polystyrene boxes or CoolPac® polyurethane boxes. Both types are re-usable and are re-used in practice.
h) Both types of transport packaging are only disposed of when damaged or unable to be reused. Disposal occurs in line with waste management procedures.
i) All current packaging is re-usable.
b) No
c) The polystyrene boxes that WACHS uses for distribution are in continual circulation in our regions and are not returned to wholesalers in Perth. Most are reused by pharmacy or vaccinators, and they are also utilised for transport and storage of non-pharmaceutical cold lines in WACHS facilities.
d) Depending on specific circumstances ice bricks can vary from 2 to 16.
e) Yes.
f) N/A
g) Vaccines are generally transported in either polystyrene boxes or CoolPac® polyurethane boxes. Both types are re-usable and are re-used in practice.
h) Both types of transport packaging are only disposed of when damaged or unable to be reused. Disposal occurs in line with waste management procedures.
i) All current packaging is re-usable.
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