Diabetic waste
We provide a free collection of diabetic sharps waste for residents. Diabetic sharps include:
- needles
- syringes
- lancets used with finger-pricking devices
- clippers
Please do not dispose of sharps in the black bin as needles can cause injury and pass on infection.
Request a diabetic sharps waste collection
Domestic clinical waste
For all other clinical waste, we provide a chargeable collection service for domestic households.
We will collect:
- clinical waste (infectious) including swabs, dressings and tubes
- sharps including needles
If you are a patient we recommend you first contact your health visitor, district nurse, care assistant, or the place that supplied the clinical sacks/sharps box, as they may be able to arrange an alternative.
All requests for patient collections should be referred through their medical practitioner in the first instance using our clinical waste referral form (PDF).
Commercial clinical waste
We provide a clinical waste service for businesses such as dental practices, nursing homes, residential homes, beauty salons and tattooists.
Clinical waste includes:
- catheter bags, stoma bags and tubing
- human or animal tissue
- swabs, dressing and pads
- syringes, needles or other sharp instruments
Weekly, fortnightly or monthly collections are offered, to meet your business needs.
Request a commercial clinical waste collection
Check what counts as clinical waste
| Type of waste | Inclusions | Disposal route |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical (infectious healthcare) waste – if you have an infection | Infected dressings Infected swabs Infected human tissue | Clinical waste collection Email Commercial Services for more information |
| Sharps | All needles used for injecting Disposable instrument blades | Dedicated sharps box collection Email Commercial Services for more information |
| Household waste | Catheter bags – with contents emptied into the toilet Stoma bags – with contents emptied into the toilet Incontinence pads Syringes with needles removed Tubing, and ‘peg’ or stomach feeding equipment | Securely bagged in your household black bin or sack |
| Unwanted and out-of-date medicines | Tablets Liquids Epipens | Return to a local pharmacy |
| Medicine packaging | Cardboard boxes Aerosol cleaning sprays Empty plastic bottles Plastic packaging | Recycling bin or sacks (Rinsed and squashed as usual as required) |
| Cytotoxic waste | Purple lidded sharps | Email Commercial Services for more information |
Hazardous waste
Hazardous waste contains substances which are harmful to humans or the environment, including flammable, toxic or carcinogenic materials.
Examples of hazardous waste include but are not restricted to:
- asbestos
- chemicals, such as brake fluid or print toner
- solvents including paint
- pesticides
- oils such as car oil (not including edible oils)
- equipment containing ozone depleting substances, such as fridges
A licensed contractor must be contracted to remove hazardous waste.
Visit the Hazardous waste page on GOV.UK for further information.