A facility to incinerate Bermuda’s medical waste could be built in St David’s, according to a planning application.

The application by MediWaste proposes the erection of a new structure on industrially zoned land on Wallers Point Road in Southside which would process medical waste from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, as well as medical offices, veterinarian clinics, tattoo parlours and pharmacies.

A report by a planning officer, which recommended the plan’s approval, said: “Waste would be burnt down then processed through a series of scrubbers to remove ash and other impurities before being exhausted.

“Typical operating hours would be 8am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays inclusive and at least three staff would man the facility at all times.”

The proposed facility would include a main processing building, located at the centre of the site, along with a detached site office and detached storage container to the west of the main building.

“All proposed buildings would be prefabricated structures set at a grade of approximately 10ft above that of Waller’s Point Road,” the report said.

“The main processing building would house three incinerator units and has a gross floor area of 2,426sq ft, inclusive of a 153sq ft upper-floor observation deck.”

The report said the proposal was of an appropriate scale given the size of the lot and would be in keeping with the other buildings in the area.

“The design of the building, while not aligning with the ‘Bermuda image’, is considered to be appropriate in this industrial setting where prefabricated buildings are prevalent,” the report writer said.

“In addition, the majority of the landscaping on the site would be retained and it is recommended that a condition be imposed requiring it to be reinstated, or new trees planted, should any vegetation become damaged by construction activity.

“While the proposal is likely to generate an increase in traffic, given this is an established industrial park with established infrastructure in place, there are no issues in terms of access for heavy vehicles or provision of utilities and services.”

The report writer added that, provided that the facility abided by conditions under the remit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Health, the proposal would not have a negative impact on the local environment.

The application was expected to go before the Development Applications Board at its meeting yesterday.