Shock option for disposing of piled-up nHS material
overture and (environmental agency) SEPA may be required to approve this route.”
There are 30 crematoriums operating in Scotland. Some are run by local authorities and others are privately owned.
Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said: “Burning body parts and NHS clinical waste at cremator iums i s an extreme proposal.
“My local crematorium in South Lanarkshire is a peaceful place and I know people would be shocked if this plan was activated across the country.
“SNP Health Secretary Jeane Freeman should rule out sending anatomical waste to crematoriums and urgently get a grip on the increasing costs of the clinical waste fiasco.”
HES collapsed in December, with the loss of hundreds of jobs after the NHS pulled contracts it claimed the f irm was failing to fulfil.
Bosses at the company blamed issues with UK incineration capacity, despite having a state- of-the-art facility in Shotts, Lanarkshire, which is now lying unused.
Spanish firm Tradebe has been lined up to take over the NHS contract but is yet to fully commence operations.
A Scott ish Government spokeswoman said: “When the Scottish Government became aware of problems with clinical waste treatment in England, a wide range of possible options were explored to ensure no disruption to waste treatment in Scotland.
“The option of using crematoria was discounted at a very early stage and never pursued as it is prohibited in line with regulatory requirements.
“The current contingency model has operated effectively and ensured that clinical services have not been affected.”
SEPA has said it was not approached by the Government over the plans.
The cost of disposing of NHS waste is understood to have doubled since HES collapsed.
Liquidators are trying to sell HES’s Shotts site. Huge piles of highly toxic materials have been lying there for over eight months and it’s understood rats have infested the site.
More NHS waste is being stored around the country, while some is being sent to incinerators in England.