Overview - What Is Clinical Waste?

Clinical waste is defined at present in The Controlled Waste Regulations 1992, ISBN 0110235886: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19920588_en_1.htm

a) any waste which consists wholly or partly of human or animal tissue, blood or other body fluids, excretions, drugs or other pharmaceutical products, swabs or dressings, or syringes, needles or other sharp instruments, being waste which unless rendered safe may prove hazardous to any person coming into contact with it; and

(b) any other waste arising from medical, nursing, dental, veterinary, pharmaceutical or similar practice, investigation, treatment, care, teaching or research, or the collection of blood for transfusion, being waste which may cause infection to any person coming into contact with it;

What are the hazards?

It is clear that some of the clinical waste can be infectious. Contact with it could infect employees, or others, causing illness. This is particularly a problem in hospitals where strict procedures should apply about the handling and disposal of clinical waste. Some of the waste can cause direct injury. Needles, surgical instruments etc. can be extremely dangerous. Often sharp, they can cause deep cuts. If they are contaminated as well, they can cause injury and possibly infect people at the same time. While the disposal of waste is of concern, health care workers are at risk when the clinical waste is being separated prior to disposal. Of particular concern are those who work in laundries; are involved with disposal of clinical waste; and employees such as District Nurses and others who are required to carry clinical waste from domestic residences of people they treat.

Health and Safety

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: http://www.healthandsafety.co.uk/haswa.htm
  S 2(3) all organisations should have clearly defined strategies for the segregation, storage, transport and disposal of clinical waste.
• The Health and Safety Commission's Health Service Advisory Committee: http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hsc/iacs/hsac/
  HSAC have classified clinical waste into groups and have produced HSAC guidance "Safe Disposal of Clinical Waste" Books, HSAC, 11886355, £4.50.
• The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, ISBN 0 11 0429192: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20022677.htm  Requires employers to assess any significant risk to the health and safety of their employees
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, ISBN 0110250516: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19922051_en_1.htm
  Requires employers to assess any significant risk to the health and safety of their employees.
• People involved: Safety representatives, Safety Executive Inspectors, HM Inspectors of Pollution, Environmental Health Officers

Waste Regulations

• The Controlled Waste Regulations 1992, ISBN 0110235886: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19920588_en_1.htm
• The Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2006, ISBN 0110726855: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20050894.htm
  Replaced the Special Waste Regulations 1996 on the 16th July 2005.
• Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43), ISBN 0105443905: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1990/Ukpga_19900043_en_1.htm
  Producers of clinical waste must ensure under the Duty of Care imposed by section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 that they pass their waste to a waste carrier, registered with the Environment Agency.
• European Waste Catalogue from the European Environment Agency: http://www.eea.europa.eu/  With respect to the description of the waste the law requires that the appropriate code from the European Waste Catalogue be used on the transfer note.

Transporting Clinical Waste

UK Legislation affecting the packaging and labelling of waste primarily affects the waste producer and the haulier and it is their responsibility to ensure that the clinical waste transported on the road meets the requirements of the following legislation:

• The Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) and Use of Transportable Pressure Receptacles Regulations 1996, ISBN 011062923X: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19962092_en_1.htm
• The Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Regulations 1996, ISBN 0110629264: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19962095_en_1.htm
• The Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Amendment) Regulations 1999, ISBN 0 11 0804708: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1999/19990303.htm
• United Nations European Agreement on the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road: http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/ADRagree_e.pdf

Useful sites

• The Environment Agency: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk The Environment Agency has a regulatory responsibility for the management of clinical waste.
• The Health and Safety Advisory Committee: http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hsc/iacs/hsac/
• The European Environment Agency: http://www.eea.europa.eu/

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