A single mistake in hazardous waste disposal can lead to severe fines and harm to staff, patients, and the environment. Are you confident your hazardous waste compliance meets the legal standard? As a healthcare professional, you must actively manage hazardous waste to protect everyone involved.
It’s important to take proactive steps to understand how hazardous waste should be stored and disposed of—and this can be simplified with the support of a specialist waste management service like Initial Medical.
What is hazardous waste?
Items that present a risk of harm to humans or the environment will typically be classified as hazardous. According to Health Technical Memorandum 07-01—the UK standard for healthcare waste management—each Home Nation has slightly different requirements for the Hazardous Waste Regulations.
Examples of the affected items include:
- Asbestos
- Chemicals, such as brake fluid or print toner
- Batteries (due to heavy metals and corrosive materials)
- Solvents
- Pesticides
- Non-edible oils
- Equipment containing ozone-depleting substances, such as fridges
- Hazardous waste containers
Certain types of healthcare waste may fit the definition of hazardous waste. Anything that doesn’t is classified as non-hazardous waste; it is worth noting that these categories must not be mixed at disposal.
Some items may also be known as ‘mirror hazardous’, meaning they can be considered hazardous under certain conditions – a drug at a certain concentration, for example. When marking their waste entry, they will be denoted with an asterisk (*).
Differentiating Clinical and Hazardous Waste
In line with HTM 07-01, clinical waste should always be considered as a hazardous waste, except for the following exceptions:
- Segregated non-cytotoxic and non-cytostatic medicines
- Clinical waste from municipal sources that aren’t directly or indirectly associated with healthcare, such as needles or swabs for cosmetic body parts or piercings
- Anatomical waste without chemical contamination or infectious properties
- Non-hazardous sharps, though these may still be considered dangerous goods.
Current Hazardous Waste Regulations
As mentioned, the Home Nations operate under slightly different rulings. A specialist waste management service can advise regarding the unique differences in the legislation below:
England and Wales are affected by The Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005, whilst Northern Ireland is subject to The Hazardous Waste (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2005.
Scotland is subject to The Special Waste Regulations 1996. Throughout its guidelines, all hazardous waste is referred to as “special” waste.
The current regulations on hazardous waste set out guidelines for the storage of hazardous waste and the responsibilities of a producer or holder before its collection.
Essential Segregation: The UK Colour-Coding System
All hazardous waste items should be stored in a container that is appropriately labelled or colour-coded and manufactured to mitigate any risk of harm. For example, a sharps container should be puncture-
proof, and a bin for dental amalgam should have an in-built mercury suppressant.
To ensure compliance, you must segregate waste according to the standard UK colour-coding system:
- Yellow: Clinical Waste for Incineration (e.g., infectious dressings, PPE).
- Orange: Clinical Waste for Alternative Treatment (e.g., infectious waste that can be sterilised before disposal).
- Purple: Waste contaminated with Cytotoxic/Cytostatic medicines.
- Blue: Non-hazardous medicines (e.g., expired pills).
- Red: Anatomical Waste (e.g., body parts, blood bags).
- Yellow/Black (Tiger Stripe): Non-hazardous offensive/hygiene waste.
Consignment Notes for Hazardous Waste: Your Accountability Trail
Hazardous items will be tracked throughout the waste process to ensure accountability. This is completed with consignment notes.
A copy is kept by the producer, and two copies are given to a carrier who collects the waste. Consignment notes can be downloaded online; producers must fill out sections A and B. Necessary information on the consignment note will include:
- Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code: This describes the business activity that produced the waste item (e.g., a general dental practice would likely use SIC Code 86230).
- Waste Classification Code (LoW/EWC): This describes the waste itself, typically a List of Waste (LoW) or European Waste Catalogue (EWC) code. These are six-digit codes. For example, the code 18 01 03* refers to clinical waste that consists of infectious properties and is considered hazardous.
Remember: It’s important to keep consignment notes and associated records for up to three years.
Hazardous Waste Collection with Initial Medical
Producers of hazardous material must ensure it is collected by an appropriately qualified waste service. The items may be incinerated or sent to a hazardous waste landfill.
For safe management and disposal of hazardous waste items, look no further than Initial Medical. Our experts can provide insights on effective workflows in your practice and suggest a range of safe, environmentally-friendly waste storage solutions. Alongside this, Initial Medical is able to help collect your hazardous waste, ensuring it is appropriately disposed of.
Ready for a compliance review? Contact Initial Medical today for a free waste assessment.