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Colour Coding of Clinical Waste

Proper segregation of different types of clinical waste is critical to the safe disposal. Initial’s clinical waste disposal service ensures that all waste collected is correctly segregated and disposed of. Colours are used to segment the clinical waste prior to transport and disposal.

Although not mandatory and not specified in regulations, the Department of Health document HTM 07-01 identifies the correct clinical waste segregation and the suitability of treatment/disposal options. We follow these guidelines for the supply of clinical waste containers for our customers. This ensures that waste is correctly segregated and the final disposal route is correct.

A summary of the colours given in HTM 07-01 is given below:

Clinical waste which requires disposal by incineration

Indicative treatment/disposal is incineration in a suitably permitted or licensed facility.

 

Cytotoxic and Cytostatic waste

Indicative treatment/disposal required is incineration in a suitably permitted or licensed facility.

Clinical waste which may be “treated”

Indicative treatment/disposal required is to be “rendered safe” in a suitably permitted or licensed facility, usually alternative treatment plants (ATPs). However this waste may also be disposed of by incineration.

Offensive/hygiene waste*

Indicative treatment/disposal required is landfill in a suitably permitted or licensed site. Offensive waste should not be compacted in unlicensed/permitted facilities.

 

Amalgam waste

For recovery.

 

 

Domestic (municipal) waste

Minimum treatment/disposal required is landfill in a suitably permitted or licensed site. Recyclable components should be removed through segregation.

* The use of yellow/black for offensive/hygiene waste was chosen as these colours have historically been universally used for the sanitary / offensive / hygiene waste stream