The problem of the management of bio-medical waste in the Caribbean is a source of concern among persons charged with the responsibility for environmental management and the protection of human health, from the policy makers to operatives. Countries are very much aware that there are issues related to occupational safety and health, environmental contamination, risk management and containment of contagious diseases among other things, and the potential negative impacts if these are not managed properly. This is much concern and even alarm about the situation in the context of the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic and the need to have proper waste management regimes in place. Some countries such as St. Lucia and Trinidad have started to develop policies and management plans but in the majority of countries, there are no systematic operations or plans to address the problem. As a consequence several methods of disposal seem to be in use based upon, in some cases, more on convenience rather than what is the most appropriate thing to do. It is even uncertain if the classification/characterization and treatment of a specific type of waste is the same throughout the region.

Under the Caribbean Cooperation in Health Phase Two (CCH-II), solid waste management has been identified as a priority issue for Environmental Health. The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) has been given the responsibility for coordinating the regional interventions for solid waste management, which includes biomedical waste management.

In its role as the CARICOM institution responsible for Environmental Management and Environmental Health in the Caribbean, the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) has received requests from agencies within its member states for assistance to address the issue of Bio-medical Waste disposal. The most common and immediate request from Member States if for firstly, a workshop or training programme and secondly, assistance in developing a policy and a longer term-programme.