What constitutes Clinical Waste?
| Waste Group |
Type of clinical waste |
| Group A |
Includes the following items: identifiable human tissue,* blood, animal carcasses and tissue from veterinary centres, hospitals or laboratories. Soiled surgical dressings, swabs and other similar soiled waste. Other waste materials, for example from infectious disease cases, excluding any in groups B–E. |
*All identifiable human tissue, whether infected or not, may only be disposed of by incineration.
Large quantities of uninfected group A waste and all infected group A waste MUST be disposed of in zip-tied yellow bags via the clinical waste collection service, however small quantities of uninfected group A waste may now be disposed of via the normal refuse service. |
| Group B |
Discarded syringe needles, cartridges, broken glass and any other contaminated disposable sharp instruments or items. |
| All sharps (group B) must be disposed of in a sharps container with a yellow numbered HPBC zip-tie attached, via the clinical waste collection. |
| Group E |
Items used to dispose of urine, faeces and other bodily secretions or excretions that do not fall within Group A. This includes used disposable bedpans or bedpan liners, incontinence pads, stoma bags and urine containers. |
Where less than one ¾ full yellow bag of uninfected group E waste is produced per week this should be disposed of, adequately wrapped and free of excess liquid, via the normal refuse collection. Only when more than one ¾ full yellow bag per week of group E waste OR any infected group E waste is produced should this waste be disposed of via the clinical waste collection.
All group A, B + E waste generated by nursing/residential/rest homes MUST be disposed of as infected clinical waste via a clinical waste collection, as a healthy source population cannot be assumed in these premises. |
*Items related to medical/clinical treatment (e.g. any packaging, cardboard and plastic containers etc.) that are not a source of infection (and are therefore not clinical waste as defined) should not be disposed of via a clinical waste collection.
These items should be disposed of via the normal refuse collection only.
Yellow Bag Clinical Waste Collection Service
Information for collectees:
Please read and follow the advice carefully. Clinical Waste is controlled waste and must therefore be disposed of in the correct manner to comply with Health and Safety Regulations.
- The correct HPBC yellow bags supplied by the Council must be used.
- Please fill the yellow clinical waste bags provided to no more than ¾ capacity and keep them separate from your normal domestic waste.
- At present the collection takes place weekly, on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Any bags should be left out for collection at the agreed collection point before 8am on Tuesday morning (even on bank holidays). New yellow bags for your use will be dropped off at this time.
- If the collection does not take place on Tuesday or Wednesday (e.g. due to vehicle breakdown etc.) please leave any bags out, as the collection will then usually be carried out on the following day.
- All bags must be sealed before collection with the yellow clip fasteners that are supplied by the Council free of charge. Bags that are not clipped will not be collected. Extra clips or bags should be obtained by ringing 0845 129 77 77 or 01298 28400.
- Sharp objects (needles, glass, etc.) that are to be collected must first be placed in an approved sharps container. 5 litre sharps containers should be obtained by ringing 0845 129 77 77 or 01298 28400.
- All syringes must be fully emptied of any medicines before disposal.
- High Peak Borough Council does not offer a collection service for medicines or waste derived from treatment with cytotoxic and cytostatic drugs. Do not dispose of any of this type of waste in the yellow bags or in sharps containers.
- If a collection is no longer required for any reason it is essential that you contact Environmental Services immediately by ringing 0845 129 77 77 or 01298 28400 to cancel the service.
- Only waste of groups A, B and large volumes of group E waste should be disposed of via a clinical waste collection. Volumes of non-infectious group E Waste of less than one ¾ full yellow bag per week and any associated packaging should be disposed of in black refuse bags, free of excess liquid, via the normal refuse service.
- Any plastic, cardboard or paper packaging associated with any treatment which is not contaminated with any bodily fluid, and is therefore not an infection risk, should be disposed of via the normal refuse service, NOT the clinical waste service. This includes empty dialysis fluid containers.
- If we visit for three consecutive weeks and no bag is left out, we will remove your address from the collection list unless notified otherwise.
- Please contact us on 0845 129 77 77 or 01298 28400 if you have any questions, problems or comments.
Sharps Clinical Waste Collection Service
Information for sharp users:
Please read and follow the advice carefully. Clinical Waste is controlled waste and must therefore be disposed of in the correct manner to comply with Health and Safety Regulations.
- Please call us on 0845 129 77 77 or 01298 28400 if you require a collection. We will pick the sharps container up the following week. At present the collection takes place weekly, on Mondays.
- Any containers should be left out for collection at the agreed collection point before 8am on Monday morning (inc. bank holidays). Please let us know when you ring in if a new sharps container is required and we will drop one off for you.
- If the collection does not take place on Monday (eg. due to vehicle breakdown etc.) please leave the container out on Tuesday, as the collection will usually then be carried out on the following day.
- UN type approved sharps containers must be used to dispose of the sharps. Please fill them to no more than ¾ full capacity and keep them separate from your normal domestic waste.
- It is no longer necessary to place the sharps container in a yellow clinical waste bag.
- All containers must be sealed before collection and one yellow clip fastener attached to the container. Containers that are not sealed and clipped will not be collected.
- Extra clips or containers can be obtained free of charge by ringing 0845 129 77 77 or 01298 28400.
- All syringes must be fully emptied of any prescription medicines before disposal.
- High Peak Borough Council does not offer a collection service for any unwanted medicines. These can usually be disposed of safely at your local pharmacy, chemist or doctor’s surgery. Please do not dispose of any medicines in the sharps containers.
- Any plastic, cardboard or paper packaging associated with any treatment which is not contaminated with any possibly infectious bodily fluid, and is therefore not an infection risk, should be disposed of via the normal refuse service, NOT the clinical waste service.
- If you require a collection and forget to put the container out please let us know, otherwise we will automatically remove your address from the collection list for the following week.
- Please contact us on 0845 129 77 77 or 01298 28400 if you have any questions, problems or comments, or if you no longer require the service.
