Clinical Waste

The Environment Agency has recently reclassified clinical waste into Infectious and Offensive/Hygiene waste. A PCT Referral Form will need to be completed by a GP, Doctor or Nurse who will classify the material before it can be collected.

Infectious waste requires special handling, to prevent infection, this waste will still be collected by the Council as a special collection and disposed of in an appropriate manner.

Infectious waste includes

• any waste which contains a pathogen (including certain bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc.), and the pathogens cause infectious diseases in humans, or animals and humans.
• any treatment that uses cytotoxic or cytostatic medicines

Offensive/hygiene waste, can be disposed of in the black refuse bin. This material does not require special treatment or disposal, but may cause offence to those who come into contact with it, this waste should be bagged before depositing it in to the black refuse bin.

Examples of offensive/hygiene waste include:

• incontinence and other waste produced from human hygiene, sanitary waste and nappies
• animal faeces and soiled animal bedding

The Council will continue to provide a free clinical waste collection and disposal service for residents within the District, who have infectious waste, or sharps.

The improper or unsafe handling and disposal of infectious clinical waste is a criminal offence under The Environmental Protection Act punishable by heavy fines

Warning - Infectious clinical waste must never be placed in household waste sacks.

Special clinical waste bags and sharps containers are supplied for the safe collection of infectious waste, these can be obtained from the Council when you register for a collection and will be replaced on a like for like basis when the bags are collected.   

The infectious clinical waste is collected every Monday or Wednesday, collections can be arranged on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis, depending on your requirements