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[[Category:Tonnage & Waste Types]]
[[Category:Tonnage & Waste Types]]
[[Healthcare Waste]] is generated by health care activities, also known as [[Clinical Waste]], includes a broad range of materials, from used needles and syringes to soiled dressings, body parts, diagnostic samples, blood, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and radioactive materials. Due to the variety of waste produced, healthcare waste has the potential to cause significant human health and environmental impacts <ref> [[WHO]], 2019. [https://www.who.int/topics/medical_waste/en/ Health-care waste. World Health Organization.] [online] [Accessed 31 Oct. 2019]. </ref>.
[[Healthcare Waste]] is waste produced during human or animal healthcare, or related research activity, and covers both '''Clinical Waste''' and '''Offensive Waste''' as defined in the [[Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012]]<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-waste-appropriate-measures-for-permitted-facilities/definition-of-healthcare-waste .GOV definition of Healthcare Waste]</ref> and further listed below. Helathcare Waste containing radioactive materials requirements compliance with specific guidance<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/radioactive-substances-regulation-for-non-nuclear-sites The Radioactive Substances Regulation Guidance]</ref>.
 
==Clinical Waste==
'''Clinical Waste''' is [[Healthcare Waste]] that:
*contains viable micro-organisms or their toxins which are known or reliably believed to cause disease in humans or other living organisms
*contains or is contaminated with a medicine that contains a biologically active pharmaceutical agent
** Medicine is a drug or other preparation for the treatment or prevention of disease
** Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicine is medicine that possesses hazardous properties which are toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction.
*is a sharp, or a body fluid, or other biological material (including human and animal tissue), containing or contaminated with a hazardous substance
** A sharp is an item that could cause cuts or puncture wounds. This includes needles, hypodermic needles, scalpels and other blades, knives, infusion sets, saws, broken glass, and nails.
*is waste of a similar nature from a non-healthcare activity
 
==Offensive Waste==
'''Offensive Waste''' is:
*is not clinical waste
*contains body fluids, secretions or excretions
*falls within [[EWC]] waste codes [[EWCChap18 | 18 01 04]], [[EWCChap18 | 18 02 03]] or [[EWCChap20 | 20 01 99]]
 
==Types of Healthcare Waste==
The types of [[Healthcare Waste]] are grouped and designated by packaging colour, set out in high level guidance<ref>[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f05a7fae90e0712d0206e88/Types_of_healthcare_waste_table.pdf Types of Healthcare Waste]</ref> updated and published by the [[EA]] in July 2020 for regulated facilities with an [[Environmental Permit]] to [[Treatment|treat]] or [[Waste Transfer Station |transfer Healthcare Waste]]. These groupings are set out in a table in the guidance, captured below:
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Colour of Packaging: Orange
|-
| Appropriate healthcare waste management activities
Storage, alternative treatment or incineration
Waste types and List of Waste (LoW) code(s)
Infectious waste, not contaminated with chemicals or medicines:
• human healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 01 03*
• animal healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 02 02*
• municipal, separately collected fractions, not from healthcare or research-related sources (may contain sharps) - 20 01 99
• commercial, separately collected fractions of absorbents, wiping cloths and protective clothing contaminated by infectious substances - 15 02 02
|-
! Colour of Packaging: Yellow
|-
| Appropriate healthcare waste management activities
Storage and incineration
Waste Types and LoW code(s)
Infectious waste, contaminated with chemicals:
• human healthcare - 18 01 03* and 18 01 06* or 18 01 07
• animal healthcare - 18 02 02* and 18 02 05* or 18 02 06
Infectious waste, medicinally contaminated (not cytotoxic or cytostatic):
• human healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 01 03* and 18 01 09
• animal healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 02 02* and 18 02 08
|-
! Colour of Packaging: Red
|-
| Appropriate healthcare waste management activities
Storage and incineration
Waste Types and LoW code(s)
Infectious anatomical waste, chemically preserved:
• Human healthcare – 18 01 03* and 18 01 06* or 18 01 07
• Animal healthcare – 18 02 02* and 18 02 05* or 18 02 06
Infectious anatomical waste, not chemically preserved:
• Human healthcare – 18 01 03*
• Animal healthcare – 18 02 02*
Non-infectious anatomical waste, chemically preserved:
• Human healthcare - 18 01 02 and 18 01 06* or 18 01 07
• Animal healthcare - 18 02 03 and 18 02 05* or 18 02 06
Non-infectious anatomical waste, not chemically preserved:
• Human healthcare - 18 01 02
• Animal healthcare - 18 02 03
|-
! Colour of Packaging: Purple
|-
| Appropriate healthcare waste management activities
Storage and incineration
Waste Types and LoW code(s)
Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines:
• Human healthcare – 18 01 08*
• Animal healthcare – 18 02 07*
Infectious waste, contaminated with cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines:
• Human healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 01 03* and 18 01 08* or 20 01 31*
• Animal healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 02 02* and 18 02 07* or 20 01 31*
|-
! Colour of Packaging: Blue
|-
| Appropriate healthcare waste management activities
Storage and incineration
Waste Types and LoW code(s)
Other waste medicines, excluding cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines - 18 01 09, 18 02 08 or 20 01 32
|-
! Colour of Packaging: Black and Yellow ('tiger bags')
|-
| Appropriate healthcare waste management activities
Storage, incineration or landfill. Compaction, where specifically permitted.
Waste Types and LoW code(s)
Non-infectious offensive waste:
• Human healthcare – 18 01 04
• Animal healthcare – 18 02 03
• Municipal, separately collected fractions of absorbents, wiping cloths and protective clothing not contaminated by infectious substances – 15 02 03
|-
! Colour of Packaging: Not Specified
|-
| Appropriate healthcare waste management activities
Storage, incineration or landfill. Compaction, where specifically permitted.
Waste Types and LoW code(s)
Non-infectious offensive waste:
• Human healthcare – 18 01 04
• Animal healthcare – 18 02 03
• Municipal, separately collected fractions of absorbents, wiping cloths and protective clothing not contaminated by infectious substances – 15 02 03
|}
 


==References==
==References==
<references />
<references />

Revision as of 15:19, 28 January 2021

Healthcare Waste is waste produced during human or animal healthcare, or related research activity, and covers both Clinical Waste and Offensive Waste as defined in the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012[1] and further listed below. Helathcare Waste containing radioactive materials requirements compliance with specific guidance[2].

Clinical Waste

Clinical Waste is Healthcare Waste that:

  • contains viable micro-organisms or their toxins which are known or reliably believed to cause disease in humans or other living organisms
  • contains or is contaminated with a medicine that contains a biologically active pharmaceutical agent
    • Medicine is a drug or other preparation for the treatment or prevention of disease
    • Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicine is medicine that possesses hazardous properties which are toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction.
  • is a sharp, or a body fluid, or other biological material (including human and animal tissue), containing or contaminated with a hazardous substance
    • A sharp is an item that could cause cuts or puncture wounds. This includes needles, hypodermic needles, scalpels and other blades, knives, infusion sets, saws, broken glass, and nails.
  • is waste of a similar nature from a non-healthcare activity

Offensive Waste

Offensive Waste is:

Types of Healthcare Waste

The types of Healthcare Waste are grouped and designated by packaging colour, set out in high level guidance[3] updated and published by the EA in July 2020 for regulated facilities with an Environmental Permit to treat or transfer Healthcare Waste. These groupings are set out in a table in the guidance, captured below:

Colour of Packaging: Orange
Appropriate healthcare waste management activities

Storage, alternative treatment or incineration Waste types and List of Waste (LoW) code(s) Infectious waste, not contaminated with chemicals or medicines: • human healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 01 03* • animal healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 02 02* • municipal, separately collected fractions, not from healthcare or research-related sources (may contain sharps) - 20 01 99 • commercial, separately collected fractions of absorbents, wiping cloths and protective clothing contaminated by infectious substances - 15 02 02

Colour of Packaging: Yellow
Appropriate healthcare waste management activities

Storage and incineration Waste Types and LoW code(s) Infectious waste, contaminated with chemicals: • human healthcare - 18 01 03* and 18 01 06* or 18 01 07 • animal healthcare - 18 02 02* and 18 02 05* or 18 02 06 Infectious waste, medicinally contaminated (not cytotoxic or cytostatic): • human healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 01 03* and 18 01 09 • animal healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 02 02* and 18 02 08

Colour of Packaging: Red
Appropriate healthcare waste management activities

Storage and incineration Waste Types and LoW code(s) Infectious anatomical waste, chemically preserved: • Human healthcare – 18 01 03* and 18 01 06* or 18 01 07 • Animal healthcare – 18 02 02* and 18 02 05* or 18 02 06 Infectious anatomical waste, not chemically preserved: • Human healthcare – 18 01 03* • Animal healthcare – 18 02 02* Non-infectious anatomical waste, chemically preserved: • Human healthcare - 18 01 02 and 18 01 06* or 18 01 07 • Animal healthcare - 18 02 03 and 18 02 05* or 18 02 06 Non-infectious anatomical waste, not chemically preserved: • Human healthcare - 18 01 02 • Animal healthcare - 18 02 03

Colour of Packaging: Purple
Appropriate healthcare waste management activities

Storage and incineration Waste Types and LoW code(s) Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines: • Human healthcare – 18 01 08* • Animal healthcare – 18 02 07* Infectious waste, contaminated with cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines: • Human healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 01 03* and 18 01 08* or 20 01 31* • Animal healthcare (may contain sharps) - 18 02 02* and 18 02 07* or 20 01 31*

Colour of Packaging: Blue
Appropriate healthcare waste management activities

Storage and incineration Waste Types and LoW code(s) Other waste medicines, excluding cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines - 18 01 09, 18 02 08 or 20 01 32

Colour of Packaging: Black and Yellow ('tiger bags')
Appropriate healthcare waste management activities

Storage, incineration or landfill. Compaction, where specifically permitted. Waste Types and LoW code(s) Non-infectious offensive waste: • Human healthcare – 18 01 04 • Animal healthcare – 18 02 03 • Municipal, separately collected fractions of absorbents, wiping cloths and protective clothing not contaminated by infectious substances – 15 02 03

Colour of Packaging: Not Specified
Appropriate healthcare waste management activities

Storage, incineration or landfill. Compaction, where specifically permitted. Waste Types and LoW code(s) Non-infectious offensive waste: • Human healthcare – 18 01 04 • Animal healthcare – 18 02 03 • Municipal, separately collected fractions of absorbents, wiping cloths and protective clothing not contaminated by infectious substances – 15 02 03


References

  1. ↑ .GOV definition of Healthcare Waste
  2. ↑ The Radioactive Substances Regulation Guidance
  3. ↑ Types of Healthcare Waste
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