Healthcare waste
The collection day for healthcare waste has changed to Friday
What is healthcare waste?
Healthcare waste is any waste from health care including dressings, gloves, blood, body parts, sharps, chemicals, medicines, medical devices and radioactive materials.
Healthcare waste from a person with a medically diagnosed infection is classified as 'infectious' waste and needs specialist treatment.
Healthcare waste from an otherwise healthy person is classified as 'offensive' waste and can usually be disposed of as general household waste.
Visit Gov.uk for further advice on the types of waste (opens new window)
Infectious waste
Is waste with the possibility of causing harm to others e.g. waste from patients with C. Difficile, HIV, Hepatitis or MRSA.
Your Healthcare Professional will assess your medical condition to determine the type of waste produced.
Offensive waste
As long as catheter bags, stoma bags, syringes (with needles removed), tubing and 'peg' or stomach feeding equipment have had no contact with infectious material they are classified, along with incontinence products, sanitary items and used disposable nappies, as 'offensive' household waste and should be double bagged and disposed of in your black bin for general rubbish.
Larger black bins can be provided if the quantity of 'offensive' waste can be managed within our standard collection service.
If you produce a large amount of waste a separate healthcare waste collection may be considered.
What are sharps?
Sharps are used needles and are classified as infectious waste.
How should I dispose of needles?
Needles should be put in a yellow 'Sharpsguard' container. 1 litre containers are provided on NHS prescription.
We do not provide sharps boxes.
The sharps collection service is different depending on where you live
- Glossop - we collect sharps boxes from all patients
- rest of the Borough - we collect sharps boxes from housebound patients only
We collect a minimum of 5 full 1 litre sharps boxes or 1 full 5 litre box. Please ensure if you have a 5 litre box you request a collection when at least ¾ full. If your GP has already referred you to us, use the contact form below to book a collection.
How do I arrange a healthcare waste or sharps collection?
We only collect healthcare waste and sharps after a referral from your Community Healthcare Worker, Practice Nurse or GP.
We do not collect healthcare waste from nursing or residential homes, surgeries, hospitals or vets.
All Derbyshire GP surgeries have an electronic Waste Assessment Form (WAF) to complete with you before sending it to us.
You cannot refer yourself.
The completed form must be received a week before collections are needed.
We do not collect without a fully completed and approved WAF.
Your Healthcare Professional must contact us as soon as possible if your circumstances change e.g. you no longer need the collections or you go in to hospital.
What day will my healthcare waste or sharps be collected?
Collections are on Friday each week.
To ensure a collection put your yellow bags out on Thursday evening or by 6am on Friday.
Is there anything you don't collect?
We do not collect or dispose of
- unwanted or out of date medicines
- waste generated by treatment with cytotoxic/cytostatic drugs e.g. cancer treatment
How do I dispose of medicines?
Return unused medicines to your GP surgery, hospital or chemist.
Medicines must not be placed in yellow bags.
How do I get more yellow bags and ties?
We deliver yellow bags on request.
Please allow up to 4 working days for delivery.
I missed the collection this week, what should I do?
Your collection will take place next week. Please make sure your waste is out by 6am each Friday.
Do you remove needles or drug waste?
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