Clinical Waste Collection Service
Clinical Waste (soiled swabs, dressings, needles, etc) are collected separately to ensure that potentially dangerous waste is prevented from entering into the ordinary collection service.
Contact Details:
Telephone: 023 8083 2531
Email: public.health@southampton.gov.uk
Details of service:
What is Clinical Waste?
In the context of this service, clinical waste includes:-
- soiled medical dressings contaminated with body fluids or blood;
- used syringes and needles;
- other waste from a client suffering from an infectious disease.
Clinical waste is always collected in yellow bags as indicated, so as to ensure that such waste does not get mixed with normal domestic waste. This is a legal requirement.
What is 'Offensive' Waste?
'Offensive' waste, includes waste which although not infectious may, nevertheless, cause offence should persons come into contact with it. Such waste when collected in significant quantities should be appropriately packaged to alert those in the waste management chain of it's contents.
This includes sanitary product (Sanpro) waste material which is waste that has come into contact with body cavity waste (urine and faeces) from an otherwise healthy person. This is usually because the person requires the containment of such waste due to incontinence or as a result of a medical operation. Offensive waste includes:-
- incontinence pads;
- stoma such as colostomy bags and urine (ureostomy) bags;
- babies nappies whilst coming under the broad definition of 'Sanpro' waste, are not considered as such in the context of this service.
'Offensive' waste can also include medical or veterinary items and equipment which does not pose a risk of infection or to safety and includes gowns, plaster casts, etc.
'Offensive' waste can be collected by the City Council's clinical waste collection service by prior arrangement in a black bag with a yellow stripe so as to distinguish it from normal domestic waste and clinical waste.
Please note that offensive (or Sanpro) waste from a healthy patient living in the domestic setting can be disposed of in the normal domestic waste stream, once the bag has been emptied of body cavity waste into a sanitary convenience as is normal practice. There is exception to this where that same person does not have access to a rigid bin waste storage facility i.e. wheelie bin or equivalent. In the latter case they may request a collection from the clinical waste collection service.
Why is there a need for a Clinical Waste Collection Service?
Due to the infectious nature of some Clinical Waste, it is classified as hazardous waste under the law and therefore requires safe disposal as per it's deemed level of risk. In most cases appropriate disposal is determined as being through incineration, or heat treatment prior to landfill.
Who are our Customers?
- Residents receiving medical treatment at home.
- Residents generating offensive waste who do not have a rigid bin in which to store their waste prior to collection or have a mobility issue preventing access to a shared bin facility.
How do we Collect Clinical Waste and where does the Clinical Waste Go?
Collections are made on an agreed collection day by a driver in a Luton type van. The van contains enclosed euro bins which are loaded and unloaded via a tail lift.
During each round the collector picks up the clinical and 'offensive' waste from each customer at the same time supplying new bags and bins as required. The driver then places the bags in the euro bins inside the Luton van.
Once the round has been completed the waste is taken to a licensed waste transfer site in Marchwood, from where it is subsequently transported in bulk to a licensed waste treatment facility.
Last updated: 12 October 2007
