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 include colostomy bags, nappies, incontinence pads, and disposable PPE that has not come into contact with infectious body fluids. Healthcare professionals should place this type of waste in a tiger stripe.
Offensive waste is signified in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01 (HTM 07-01) guidance by a tiger stripe bag, made up of yellow and black stripes. This colour scheme has long been used for warnings and is applied in healthcare waste to ensure items are handled safely.
When considering why these colours are instinctively appropriate for an offensive waste stream, we can look at where these colours also appear in the wider world around us.
Yellow and black – As a warning!
There are two elements to this colour scheme. First, the combination of yellow and black, and secondly the striped formation.
Yellow and black are a striking pair, seen in nature as deterrents that famously adorn the likes of bees, wasps, hornets, and some snakes or amphibians, amongst so many more insects and animals. The pattern tells other animals to exercise caution because they could be at risk of being seriously harmed.
Birds associate a bee’s yellow and black coat with being stung in the past, and so avoid them. As people, we learn to recognise it as a threat too, as 56-94% of people could be stung or bitten by bees, wasps or ants (the former duo are synonymous with the colours) at least once in their life.
Stripes are a common warning sign in nature, but we also use them in everyday life to acknowledge potential hazards. The combination of yellow and black stripes on items such as bollards helps people avoid pedestrians and other roadside obstacles, whilst a crisscrossed box junction or double yellow lines are easily interpreted signals to avoid stopping in a certain area – once again making it an intuitive and simple warning sign.
Use in healthcare waste
In healthcare waste management, the combination of yellow and black doesn’t signify total avoidance, but rather a warning that clinicians must exercise care.
The tiger stripe for offensive waste tells practitioners the waste is not infectious and generally not hazardous, but it is still unpleasant.
Offensive waste bags could contain used, non-infectious PPE or sanitary waste. Items may even be contaminated by blood or other bodily fluids, but as long as there is no infection risk present, it is considered offensive waste.
Solutions from Initial Medical
Everyone working in healthcare, laboratories, and veterinary environments must have access to safe offensive waste disposal solutions.
A simple bench-side solution for offensive waste disposal is the new Bio-bins® from Initial Medical, which are made from 96% paper and provide a sustainable and cost-effective option for handling small amounts of clinical waste. Available with the tiger stripe colour scheme, Bio-bins® can safely store offensive non-sharp waste such as contaminated PPE, swabs, and dressings. As well as being eco-friendly, they are helpful to a wide variety of practitioners by being available in 1, 5, and 6-litre bin sizes. Need something bigger? Then our offensive waste bags are the perfect solution.
Yellow and black stripes are well-known to warn people to keep safe, and so their use for segregating offensive waste is very appropriate.
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