Health reporter(wp/es):
A criminal investigation has been launched after tonnes of waste from NHS hospitals, including body parts, was allowed to pile up by a disposal company.
Healthcare Environment Services Ltd has been found to be in breach of its permits at five sites in England which deal with clinical waste and a criminal investigation has been launched, the Environment Agency said.
The Health Service Journal (HSJ) reported that amputated limbs and pharmaceutical waste were among the matter which had been allowed to mount up.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said there is "absolutely no risk" to public health.
It is believed the waste was stored securely, but was not being processed and disposed of within the correct regulatory timeframes.
Healthcare Environment Services said the UK had experienced "reduced incineration capacity" over the last year, which it had repeatedly highlighted to authorities.
An Environment Agency spokeswoman said: "The Environment Agency has found Health Environmental Services to be in breach of its environmental permits at five sites which deal with clinical waste.
"We are taking enforcement action against the operator, which includes clearance of the excess waste, and have launched a criminal investigation.
"We are supporting the Government and the NHS to ensure there is no disruption to public services and for alternative plans to be put in place for hospitals affected to dispose of their waste safely."
A Government spokesman said: "We are monitoring the situation closely and have made sure that public services - including NHS Trusts - have contingency plans in place. There is absolutely no risk to the health of patients or the wider public.
"Our priority is to prevent disruption to the NHS and other vital public services and work is under way to ensure organisations can continue to dispose of their waste safely and efficiently."
A spokesman for Healthcare Environmental Services said: "Healthcare Environmental has highlighted the reduction in the UK's high-temperature incineration capacity for the last few years.
"This is down to the ageing infrastructure, prolonged breakdowns and the reliance on zero waste to landfill policies, taking up the limited high-temperature incineration capacity in the market.
"Over the last year, this reduced incineration capacity has been evident across all of the industry and has affected all companies."
It added that it had "consistently highlighted" the issue to environmental regulators, and there has been no disruption to services to customers.
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