Clinical Waste Disposal

Clinical waste encompasses various types of waste generated from medical, nursing, dental, veterinary, and similar establishments. The main categories found in clinical waste bins include:

Infectious Waste

Contaminated Materials

This includes items like bandages, dressings, swabs, and personal protective equipment (PPE) that have come into contact with blood, bodily fluids, or infectious agents.

Sharps Waste

This category comprises items that can cut, pierce, or puncture the skin, such as used needles, syringes, scalpels, and other sharp instruments.

Microbial Waste

This includes cultures, slides, specimens, and other microorganisms, as well as empty vaccine vials that may contain potentially dangerous residues.

Anatomical Waste

This category includes human or animal tissue, blood bags, and waste material from biopsy procedures.

Pharmaceutical Waste

General Pharmaceutical Waste

This includes unused or expired medications, vaccines, and drugs that are not cytotoxic or cytostatic.

Cytotoxic and Cytostatic Waste

This refers to medicinal products and associated waste that have hazardous properties such as being toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction. This type of waste is typically segregated through cytotoxic and cytostatic waste bags.

Other Types

Liquid Medicine Waste

This includes medicines delivered via a sharp and unused or expired liquid medicinal products

Gypsum or Dental Amalgam

These are other terms used for dentistry waste and are only considered clinical waste if deemed to be infectious, which are typically segregated using dental amalgam waste bins.

Chemical Waste

This includes healthcare wastes that may trigger a chemical hazard

It’s important to note that not all waste produced in healthcare settings is classified as clinical waste.The classification depends on the potential risk of infection or other hazards posed by the waste

Following the guidance of The Department of Health’s HTM 07-01 Safe Management of Healthcare Waste Memorandum, Reconomy, working with trusted supply partners, follow a color-coded guide to categorise the type of hazardous and non-hazardous items found in the guidelines.

We recognise the importance of making sure all disposal complies with the UK’s strict guidelines and regulations, which is why we help customers all across the country meet the below criteria:

Environmental Protection Act 1990

This UK waste management law mandates businesses that handle controlled waste, including clinical waste, to manage it safely and protect the environment and human health. Find out more about The Environmental Protection Act 1990 by clicking the link.

Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations 2019

These regulations outline the requirements for transporting clinical waste, which is classified as dangerous goods. They mandate that individuals involved in the transportation process must undergo ADR training to ensure safe handling and limit the risk of spills and other hazards.

Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 07-01

This document provides detailed guidance on the safe and sustainable management of healthcare waste, including clinical waste. It covers aspects such as waste classification, storage, and disposal, and is particularly relevant for healthcare providers.

Waste Duty of Care Code of Practice

This code of practice, part of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, provides guidelines for the safe management of waste to protect the environment and human health. It applies to anyone who imports, produces, keeps, or disposes of controlled waste.

European Waste Catalogue (EWC)

The EWC provides a framework for classifying waste, including healthcare and clinical waste. This classification is crucial for ensuring that waste is treated and disposed of appropriately based on its hazardous properties.

These legislative and regulatory frameworks collectively ensure that it is managed in a way that minimises environmental harm and protects public health.