As waste disposal experts, the Tulip Healthcare team receive plenty of questions about the rules, regulations and intricacies of different categories of waste. In this blog, we explain what each kind of waste is, and the procedures and considerations that it requires!
- Clinical Waste
Governed by the Controlled Waste Regulations 2012, clinical waste consists of infection risks produced in healthcare environments. This includes swabs and dressings, blood, and syringes.
- Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste must be kept separate from general garbage, as it is comprised of substances that present risks to people, animals or the environment. An example of this would be laboratory waste.
- Healthcare and Dental Waste
These settings produce a huge range of waste materials, many of which require specific handling and disposal — including amalgam, sharps, biomedical materials, and hazardous chemicals.
- Infectious Waste
Particularly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, infectious waste can cause harm to people or animals if they come into contact with it.
- Offensive Waste
Another term for waste that is produced by the human body, this category includes urine containers, incontinence pads, soiled nappies, and bodily fluids. This waste must be handled according to the Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 07-01 guidelines.
- Pharmaceutical Waste
The pharmaceutical industry is subject to many complex rules and regulations — and so is the waste that it produces. For example, denaturing kits (which are used to destroy unused or spoiled medications) must be managed appropriately to comply with requirements and avoid potential harm to people or the environment.
- Sharp Disposal
Many different industries produce sharp waste — ranging from razors to syringes, and hypodermic needles to scalpels, we collect sharp waste from clients ranging from healthcare settings to tattoo parlours. It must be handled very carefully and placed in the appropriate bins, to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination or contact with used sharps.
For more information on waste disposal, you can contact the Tulip Healthcare team here.
