Frequently Asked Questions
The Controlled Waste Regulations 2012 describes clinical waste as:
1. [containing] viable micro-organisms or their toxins which is known or reliably believed to cause disease in humans or other living organisms
2. [containing] or is contaminated with a medicine that contains a biologically active pharmaceutical agent
3. a sharp or body fluid or other biological material (including human and animal tissue) containing or contaminated with a dangerous substance, and waste of a similar nature from a non-healthcare activity.
Clinical waste can originate from various different places, including:
· GP surgeries
· Hospitals
· Dental practises
· Pharmacies
· Veterinary surgeries
· Research and development laboratories
At Cliniwaste, we most commonly service healthcare environments where clinical waste is collected from hospitals, private clinicals and GP surgeries.
Clinical waste has the potential to cause infection or disease if not disposed of, managed, or treated correctly. This type of waste can also risk the environment and overall public health unless properly managed due to its nature. Why? Clinical waste most commonly includes the following:
· Human or animal tissue or body parts
· Items contaminated with bodily fluids and/or blood
· Syringes and needles (aka sharps)
· Pharmaceutical products
· Medicines and drugs
· Personal protective equipment
· Dressings, swabs, etc.
Clinical waste MUST be separated from other types of waste to ensure disposal, management and treatment complies with legislation and lessens any potential risk or threat of infection. This waste must be segregated, collected, handled and treated under specific and managed conditions that comply with legislation. Waste providers have a duty of care to segregate and properly classify their different types of waste compliant with legislation.
Clinical waste is classified to ensure it is properly segregated and thus managed and treated to safely minimise risk. Government guidelines on waste classification can be found here.
Some of the most common healthcare waste streams are as follows:
Waste that has been produced from the treatment of non-infectious patients and is contaminated with bodily fluids. This waste is non-infectious and does not contain pharmaceutical or chemical substances but may be unpleasant to those encountering it due to its appearance, odour or wetness. Examples include: non-infectious PPE; dressings and plasters; empty saline or glucose IV bags and tubing (no active medicines added); incontinence waste; soiled sanitary waste; nappies etc. This waste stream can be disposed of to landfill (separate to domestic waste), but may also be treated, recycled, or sent for energy from waste.
The following wastes should NOT be placed in this waste stream: infectious clinical waste; sharps waste; medicines or medicine contaminated items (i.e., empty medicine packaging, IV bags; lines and tubing that have had medicines added); chemically contaminated waste; domestic waste or recyclable waste.
Waste that has been produced from the treatment of infectious patients, those suspected of having and infection and are contaminated with bodily fluids, for example: personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, aprons); wipes, dressings, plasters and bandages; incontinence waste; empty infectious saline or glucose IV bags and tubing (no active medicines added). This waste stream is usually disposed of by alternative treatment methods but may also be incinerated if necessary. The residue from this process may be sent to energy from waste or landfill.
The following wastes should NOT be placed into this waste stream: medicines or medicine contaminated items ((i.e., empty medicine packaging, IV bags; lines and tubing that have had medicines added); sharps waste; chemically contaminated waste; offensive waste; domestic waste or recyclable waste.
Sharps waste that has been produced from the treatment of infectious patients and those suspected of having an infection but has also NOT been used for the administration of medicines. This can include: needles and syringes; blades; scissors; other disposable instruments (all non-medicine contaminated). This waste stream can be disposed of by alternative treatment methods but may also be incinerated. The residue from this process may be sent to energy from waste or landfill.
The following wastes should NOT be placed in this waste stream: medicines or medicine contaminated items (i.e., empty medicine packaging, IV bags; lines and tubing that have had medicines added); cytotoxic or cytostatic waste; chemically contaminated waste; domestic waste or recyclable waste.
Waste items that have been used in the treatment of infectious patients and those suspected of having an infection and may also be contaminated with medicines or chemicals, for example: IV bags, lines and tubing that have had medicines added; chemically contaminated waste. This also includes sharps waste that has been used in the treatment of infectious and potentially infectious patients and may also have been used for the administration of medicines or chemicals, for example: needles and syringes; blades; scissors; other disposable instruments (all medicine contaminated). This waste stream must be disposed of by incineration and is not suitable for alternative treatment methods due to the nature of risk of infection.
The following wastes should NOT be placed in this waste stream: waste that is just clinical infectious; offensive waste; domestic or recyclable waste.
Non-cytotoxic/cytostatic waste medicines, for example: unused, part used and out of date tablets, creams, liquid dose medicines and patches. This waste stream must be disposed of by incineration and is not suitable for alternative treatment methods due to the nature of risk of infection.
The following wastes should NOT be placed in this waste stream: waste that is just clinical infectious; chemically contaminated waste; offensive waste; domestic waste or recyclable waste; IV bags, lines and tubing that have had medicines added.
Waste that has been used in the treatment of infectious patients and those suspected of having an infection and may also have been used for the administration of cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines, as well as cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines for example: needles and syringes; blades; scissors; IV bags, lines and tubing; unused, part used and out of date cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines (all cytotoxic/static-contaminated). This waste stream must be disposed of by incineration and is not suitable for alternative treatment methods due to the nature of risk of infection.
The following wastes should NOT be placed into this waste stream: medicines or medicine contaminated items (i.e., empty medicine packaging, IV bags; lines and tubing that have had medicines added); chemically contaminated waste; offensive waste; domestic waste or recyclable waste.