APRIL 21, 2020

Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development: hazardous/pathogenic waste – Generation by temporary health facilities – Procedure for authorization of manifests.

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Environmental Law Department Report | Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development: hazardous/pathogenic waste – Generation by temporary health facilities – Procedure for authorization of manifests

Dear Sir or Madam,

Resolution No. 120/2020 issued by the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (the “Ministry”) sets forth that public and/or private health care service providers that, as a result of the health emergency caused by the COVID-19, use temporary facilities and/or establishments that may potentially generate hazardous waste of the Y1 category and clinical wastes from health care services, must follow a special procedure for the authorization of manifests under National Hazardous Waste Law No. 24,051 (“HWL”) (the “Procedure”), which includes the authorization of the establishment as a potential hazardous waste generator.

The Procedure is governed by the annex to the Resolution, which basically lists the health care facilities that must start (on the online proceedings platform) a procedure for potential generation of hazardous waste to manage wastes identified as Y1 under the HWL (the annex lists the mandatory documents to be submitted) and provides that, once the activities in the facilities have concluded, the filing party shall request the discontinuance of such proceedings.

The resolution provides that the Ministry will review the information received and grant the necessary authorizations to issue the manifests required under the HWL. It also makes available to the authorities of the Argentine provinces and the City of Buenos Ares the procedure for the authorization of HWL manifests for the case of pathogenic waste that is generated, managed, transported and/or finally disposed of entirely within their respective jurisdictions.

Lastly, the Ministry establishes that the technical officers in charge of the management of waste generated by these facilities may channel their consultations by sending an email to residuospeligrosos@ambiente.gob.ar

The aforementioned resolution was published in the Official Gazette on April 21, 2020.

Please, let us know should you require any further information on this matter.

Sincerely,

Angeles Murgier