Clinical Waste

We collect clinical waste on instruction from the Area Health Authority.

How do I arrange for clinical waste to be disposed of?

Please contact your District Nurse or Health Care Professional (GP or surgery nurse) who will tell you how to dispose of the waste and will complete a risk assessment form if you need a special clinical waste collection.

If you require a special collection, the medical practitioner will then fax, post or e-mail the completed the risk assessment form to us. You (the resident) do not need to complete any form. A member of the team will contact you about the collection arrangements.

What are the categories of clinical waste?

Clinical waste is categorised as follows:

Group A

• Includes the following items: identifiable human tissue (all identifiable human tissue, whether infected or not, may only be disposed of by incineration), blood, animal carcasses and tissue from veterinary centres, hospitals or laboratories.
  

• Soiled surgical dressings, swabs and other similar soiled waste.
  

• Other waste materials, e.g. from infectious disease cases, excluding any in Groups B–E.

Group B

• Discarded syringe needles, cartridges, broken glass and any other contaminated disposable sharp instruments or items.

Group C

• Microbiological cultures and potentially infected waste from pathology departments and other clinical or research laboratories.

Group D

• Drugs or other pharmaceutical products.

Group E

• Items used to dispose of urine, faeces and other bodily secretions or excretions which do not fall within Group A.  This includes used disposable bed pans or bed pan liners, incontinence pads, stoma bags, and urine containers. (Where risk assessments show no infection risk exists, Group E wastes are not classed as 'clinical waste'.)

How do I dispose of my clinical waste?

• Group ‘E’ type waste (Non Infectious) can be mixed into the normal domestic waste and put in your wheelie bin.

• If there is too much Group ‘E’ type waste (Non Infectious) for the normal 240L domestic bin a special collection can be arranged or (dependent upon circumstances) you can apply for an additional 140L bin.

• Group ‘A’ type waste (Infectious) must be collected and taken for incineration. A special collection is arranged for this; Group ‘A’ waste must not be placed in the household wheelie bin at any time.

• Group 'B' type waste (used syringe needles and other contaminated sharps) should be put into a sharps container for disposal.  A special collection is arranged for this; Group ‘B’ waste must not be placed in the household wheelie bin at any time.    

Do I have to pay for the service?

We do not make a charge to domestic households for this service.

What do I do if my waste hasn't been collected?

Please call us and let us know (details at bottom of page).