Healthcare waste
Healthcare wastes are defined as any wastes that result during a healthcare procedure. Some of these wastes (known as clinical/infectious waste) may be hazardous to those that come into contact with them and are subject to strict controls.
Collections of Healthcare Waste and Medical Sharps in the Community
Doncaster Council does not provide separate collections of clinical waste or medical sharps boxes.
If you need to arrange disposal of these items please contact your healthcare practitioner in the first instance. Please see the categories under 'Management of Healthcare Waste' below for advice and guidance on disposal.
Responsibility for Healthcare Waste in the Community
Community Healthcare practitioners as ‘Producers’ of Healthcare Waste, directly and indirectly, are required to ensure waste is segregated, described, classified and disposed of appropriately.
Healthcare practitioners working in the community must assess the waste they are producing for hazardous properties, most notably, “infectious” waste. To accurately assess if the waste generated is infectious, a clinical assessment should be performed. This should be based on the professional assessment, clinical signs and symptoms, and any prior knowledge of the patient.
Management of Healthcare Waste in the Community
Clinical Waste
Healthcare Waste is classified as 'Clinical Waste' when a clinical assessment identifies that the item of waste:
- poses a risk of infection
- poses a chemical hazard
- contains medicines with a pharmaceutical-active agent
Examples of Clinical Waste include:
- human or animal tissue
- blood or other bodily fluids
- excretions
- drugs and/or other pharmaceutical products
- swabs and/or dressings
- Syringes, needles or other sharp instruments
- any Healthcare Waste which may prove hazardous or may cause infection to a person coming into contact with it.
If the waste presents a hazard or risk of infection, it should be classified and described appropriately and will need to be separated and packaged for appropriate treatment and disposal. This will be in an Orange or Yellow bag/bin to be determined following a clinical assessment. The healthcare practitioner is responsible for the correct classification, removal or arranging to remove, and disposal of this waste.
If you are a patient and you are unsure if waste produced by treatment or self-care is Clinical Waste, which requires a separate Clinical Waste collection service, please ask your healthcare practitioner.
If you run a business and you are unsure if waste produced on your premise is Clinical Waste, which requires a separate Clinical Waste collection service, please ask your Commercial Waste Contractor.
Self-medicating patients and the disposal of medical sharps
Medical sharps are items of healthcare waste that could cause cuts or puncture wounds, including:
- needles and the needle part of a syringe
- scalpels and other blades
- broken glass ampoules
- the patient end of an infusion set
Self-medicating patients that need to inject medicines at home (eg diabetics), require a colour coded sharps box suitable for the type of medication being administered. Your GP or healthcare practitioner will prescribe the correct type of sharps box at the time of your diagnosis and will train you how to use it safely.
Once a sharps box is full (note the “fill line”) you should seal it to prevent accidents. Sharps boxes must be disposed of appropriately, DO NOT place them in your bins at home. You can take your sealed sharps boxes back to the GP or healthcare practitioner responsible for your prescription or to a local pharmacy.
Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (Doncaster CCG) and Doncaster Council have jointly commissioned a sharps box collection / delivery service for self-medicating patients in Doncaster. A private company called ‘Sharpsmart’ operate this service, making collections of sealed sharps boxes from patient’s homes. Your GP’s or healthcare practitioner can make a referral for your sharps boxes to be collected from home at the time of your diagnosis.
It is important that new patients have arrangements put in-place through their GP or Healthcare practitioner, requirements can change depending on the type of medicine being administered and your medical status.
Existing patients that simply need to change a home collection date or no longer require a sharps box collection can contact Sharpsmart directly, customer service can be contacted using the details below:
By phone: 01388 348 007
By email: Doncaster@sharpsmart.co.uk
By post: Unit 1, Enterprise City, Meadowfield Avenue, Spennymoor, DL16 6JF
Offensive Waste
- does not pose a risk of infection
- does not pose a chemical hazard
- does not contains medicines with a pharmaceutically-active agent but may be unpleasant to others who come into contact with it
Examples of Offensive Waste include non-infectious:
• minor first aid and self-care waste such as plasters
• nappies and incontinence pads
• stoma and /or catheter bags
• sanitary products and used condoms
• animal faeces and/ or soiled animal bedding
Self-medicating patients and the disposal of medical sharps
Self-medicating patients that need to inject medicines at home (eg diabetics), require a colour coded sharps box suitable for the type of medication being administered. Your GP or healthcare practitioner will prescribe the correct type of sharps box at the time of your diagnosis and will train you how to use it safely.
Once a sharps box is full (note the “fill line”) you should seal it to prevent accidents. Sharps boxes must be disposed of appropriately, DO NOT place them in your bins at home. You can take your sealed sharps boxes back to the GP or healthcare practitioner responsible for your prescription or to a local pharmacy.
Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (Doncaster CCG) and Doncaster Council have jointly commissioned a sharps box collection / delivery service for self-medicating patients in Doncaster. A private company called ‘Sharpsmart’ operate this service, making collections of sealed sharps boxes from patients' homes. Your GP’s or healthcare practitioner can make a referral for your sharps boxes to be collected from home at the time of your diagnosis.
It is important that new patients have arrangements put in-place through their GP or Healthcare practitioner, requirements can change depending on the type of medicine being administered and your medical status.
Existing patients that simply need to change a home collection date or no longer require a sharps box collection can contact Sharpsmart directly, customer service can be contacted using the details below:
By phone: 01388 348 007
By email: Doncaster@sharpsmart.co.uk
By post: Unit 1, Enterprise City, Meadowfield Avenue, Spennymoor, DL16 6JF
Non-Infectious dressings
Stoma/catheter bags
If a healthcare worker is involved in the care of a stoma patient, the waste from a stoma patient can be disposed of in the black bin, unless, following a ‘Clinical Assessment’, the classification changes eg. Infectious.
Incontinence pads
Unwanted medicines
Additional capacity (waste)
Apply for additional waste capacity
What do I do if I find a discarded needle?
DO NOT attempt to pick up or remove a discarded needle yourself.
We will arrange to collect discarded needles safely and securely. If you see any of these lying around then please report this as soon as possible to us using the following e-form:
Needle exchange
For information on needle exchange services which provide sterile injecting equipment to people who inject illicit drugs or non-prescribed drugs please see approved sites.