Personal protective equipment (PPE) and hand sanitisers are two absolute essentials in clinical care. But when they expire, you must dispose of them safely and legally.
Increased demand over recent years meant many businesses stocked up on hand hygiene and PPE products, creating an unused surplus. The UK Government spent £9.9bn on written-off PPE between 2020 and 2022, including items that were not used before their expiry date.1
Understanding when products ‘expire’ and the steps you have to follow when they do is key. The support of a dedicated waste management service provider can help to define and ensure you have a robust waste strategy for your business.
What to do with out of date PPE
There are many different forms of PPE, and each product’s lifetime differs between manufacturers. It’s important to always check the expiry date before use, especially if an item has been in storage for an unknown length of time. In the case of critical PPE, an expiry date generally means it cannot offer the same level of protection it once did, and this then becomes a safety issue.
Infectious PPE (items that have been used in a clinical or healthcare environment) must be disposed of as clinical waste, in orange bags.2 PPE that is not infectious should be designated as offensive waste3 and placed in yellow tiger bags or wheelie bins.
However, if your PPE is unused, but expired PPE and it has NOT been in contact with an infection source, then this must be disposed of as general waste.4 A waste management system should aid your waste segregation and ensure it is directed to the appropriate site for recycling or energy from waste disposal.
How to get rid of out of date hand sanitiser?
Hand sanitiser, similar to PPE will become progressively ineffective once it passes its expiry date. During the pandemic the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that hand sanitiser should be >60% alcohol to be effective.5 However, this would make it a hazardous product on account of its flammability and irritation risk.
Therefore, expired hand sanitiser must be disposed of as hazardous waste, and cannot be placed in general waste streams, though the plastic containers can be recycled once emptied and cleaned. The high-alcohol gel must be classified and assigned a European Waste Catalogue (EWC) code, which will vary depending on the product. The codes 15 01 10*, 16 03 05*, 16 05 08* or 16 10 03* may be most appropriate.6 To have a positive environmental impact, it will likely be disposed of as a secondary fuel via energy from waste.
Consult a registered waste management service provider
Initial Medical provides waste management services throughout the UK including handling the containment and disposal of expired PPE and hand sanitiser for recycling and energy from waste disposal. Moreover, the team offers advice and guidance on the appropriate disposal methods for unused PPE and addresses any other waste disposal queries you may have.
While PPE and hand sanitiser are crucial for daily care, it’s vital to check your workplace’s inventory regularly to prevent the use of expired items. Once identified, these products should be safely disposed of to enhance peace of mind.
References:
- Bawden, A., (2024). UK government wasted nearly £10bn on unused Covid PPE, figures show. The Guardian. (Online) Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/jan/25/uk-government-wasted-nearly-10bn-on-unused-covid-ppe-figures-show [Accessed February 2024]
- Initial Medical, (N.D.). Clinical Waste Disposal. (Online) Available at: https://www.initial.co.uk/clinical-waste/ [Accessed February 2024]
- GOV.UK, (N.D.) Classify different types of waste. (Online) Available at: https://www.gov.uk/how-to-classify-different-types-of-waste/healthcare-and-related-wastes [Accessed February 202
- City of Westminster, (N.D.) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) waste disposal. (Online) Available at: https://cleanstreets.westminster.gov.uk/personal-protective-equipment-ppe-waste-disposal/ [Accessed February 2024]
- Mahmood, A., Eqan, M., Pervez, S., Alghamdi, H. A., Tabinda, A. B., Yasar, A., … & Pugazhendhi, A. (2020). COVID-19 and frequent use of hand sanitizers; human health and environmental hazards by exposure pathways. Science of the Total Environment, 742, 140561.
- Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, (2021). Guidance on the classification and assessment of waste (1st Edition v1.2.GB). (Online) Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6152d0b78fa8f5610b9c222b/Waste_classification_technical_guidance_WM3.pdf [Accessed February 2024]
