Tooth extractions are needed for various reasons in dental care, but make no mistake, they aren’t anatomical waste. At least, teeth don’t need to be discarded as anatomical waste in the same way that other soft and hard tissues...
Every busy healthcare practice juggles countless priorities. Patients need attention, staff require training, and regulations must be followed. In the hustle, a pre-acceptance waste audit might seem like just another task to tick off. But imagine discovering your clinic’s...
Going green is important to many laboratories, but making waste workflows environmentally friendly may not be simple. Laboratories in university and medical environments have been described as “the last frontier” for environmental attitudes, and many may assume that laboratory...
Offensive and clinical waste in healthcare waste management must be separated to minimise the risks of personal harm and negative environmental impact. In Health Technical Memorandum 07-01, the clinical waste colour code delegates highly infectious material to yellow containers,...
Two years ago, NHS England unveiled the NHS clinical waste strategy. It aimed to improve waste management practices amongst primary care providers to achieve the following: Healthcare professionals can look at the strategy to help formulate plans within their...
Medical waste disposal is critical in healthcare settings, as improper handling can lead to severe and wide-ranging consequences. It’s essential for professionals to not only recognise what constitutes medical waste but also to appreciate the implications of failing to...
The black and yellow offensive waste stream, also known as the tiger stripe, is for non-hazardous and non-infectious waste that may still be unpleasant to deal with because of its odour or appearance. Examples of this type of waste...
Orange is one of the most energetic, attention-grabbing and positive colours, and can impact our feelings. It is, most often, bright but in healthcare it often appears in décor and architecture as peach, a muted option in the orange...
Wheelie bins are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, with waste products waiting to be collected for recycling, landfill, or incineration. Initial Medical investigated just how great the microbial contamination of wheelie bins is by using ATP swabs, and...
Various healthcare waste items require different treatments to ensure the safety of clinicians, patients, and the wider environment around us. This ranges from recycling or treatment to incineration or landfill. The journey starts with the clinician, who must appropriately...