Member, State and Territorial Association on Alternate Treatment Technologies (STA2T2) – Dr. Salkin served from 1992-1994, as a founding member of the State and Territorial Association on Alternate Treatment Technologies, the organization formed under a grant from the United State’s Environmental Protection Agency that devised the first US standards for the evaluation of medical waste treatment systems. In addition, he co-directed the second STA2T2 conference in 1998 which significantly revised the initial guidance document. The reports and guidelines generated from these meetings served as the basis for medical waste regulations adopted by the majority of U.S. states. In addition, these documents have been used in creating the regulatory oversight programs in such countries as Chile, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom.

Chair, Efficacy Working Group and Member, Technical Committee, Underwriter Laboratories National Medical Waste Standards (UL 2334) - Utilizing the documents which emerged from the two STA2T2 conferences, Underwriter Laboratory is attempting to develop national standards for the use of all forms of medical waste treatment systems, with the exception of incinerators. The scope of UL 2334 includes virtually all aspects of the operation of treatment technologies including (a) appropriate safety labels to be affixed to the systems, (b) electrical input and safety, (c) loading of the technologies to final disposal of treated waste. As Chair of the Efficacy Working Group, Dr. Salkin is responsible for the development of the efficacy test standards for the operation of heat and chemical treatment systems. It is expected that these standards will be published by year’s end or early in 2004. Subsequently, it is possible that they will serve as the foundation of the standards adopted by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Medical Waste Consultant, World Health Organization (WHO) – The World Health Organization requested that Dr. Salkin review and evaluate the medical waste practices in both high and low-income countries to provide a report on the occupation and public health risks associated with this special waste stream. The final draft document, Review of Health Impacts from Microbiological Hazards in Health-Care Wastes, was presented to the WHO in the 2001, and is available on the organizations Web site.

Member and Judge, International Competition on Medical Waste Treatment Technologies for Rural Areas – Dr. Salkin served as one of the coordinators of the international competition, Medwaste Treatment: Minimizing Harm, Maximizing Health, sponsored by Health Care Without Harm and the World Health Organization (WHO). He served as a member of the team that coordinated the competition and the international adjudication panel of judges. The competition received nearly sixty entries from over 25 countries in Africa, East Asia, Pacific, Southwest Asia, Middle East, North and South America and Europe. From these eight winning designs were selected and awards were presented at the General Assembly of the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland on May 21, 2003.

Consultant, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States – At the request of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Dr. Salkin conducted a detailed evaluation of current medical waste management practices of the Commonwealth of Dominica. He supervised detailed interviews of health care workers, hospital and clinical administrators and government officials, In addition, he visited the main hospital and all extension clinics throughout the island. As a result of this assessment, Dr. Salkin provided recommendations on treatment technologies which could be used by this developing nation and prepared a national biomedical waste management plan which is being adopted by appropriate regulatory agencies. In addition, he participated in several training programs for health care personnel to introduce the waste management documents.

Consultant, Ministry of Health, Malta – Dr. Salkin and associates were selected by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Malta to review tenders submitted by manufacturers of medical waste treatment technologies for the replacement of the incinerator currently used at St. Luke’s Hospital. This project involved an assessment of medical waste practices at the hospital, evaluation of waste handling areas of the new hospital presently under construction, and interviews of the hospital’s infection control personnel responsible for medical waste. He and colleagues evaluated approximately eighteen submissions from manufacturers and their representatives and based upon this analysis provided a detailed report and recommendations on the treatment systems best suited to the needs of the hospital.

Consultant, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong – Dr. Salkin and associates were requested by the Hospital Authority within the Ministry of Health of Hong Kong to review and evaluate the medical waste guidelines used by the forty-six hospitals under the Authority’s oversight. This work, as with other projects, involved on-site surveys of approximately five of the hospitals, interviews with health-care personnel, and discussions with hospital administrators. Dr. Salkin provided a detailed report on the waste practices to the Authority and conducted several training programs on the findings contained in the evaluation documents.

Indoor Air Quality – Dr. Salkin recently participated in an evaluation of indoor air quality issues relative to the Washington State Department of Ecology’s building in Lacey, Washington. In addition, he assisted the Cle Elum – Rosyln School District (Washington State) on issues related to the relationship between clinical problems raised by several of their employees and the air quality of these workers’ environments. Dr. Salkin also served as one of the editors of the IICRC S520 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation.