Disposal of waste

BBV contaminated waste must be regarded as a hazardous substance, unless rendered safe before disposal. Most waste of this type, depending on its origin, will be classified as 'clinical or infectious waste' and is subject to stringent controls.

The principles of waste segregation and its secure storage are applicable in most occupational settings where any significant amount of waste is generated. This will include material generated in, for example, the care of patients in the community. Waste of this nature is most likely to fall into Category B infectious waste, requiring labelling as UN3291 and packaging in bags/wheelie bins as per packaging instruction P650. Detailed guidance on management and handling of infectious healthcare waste is provided by Department of Health (HTM) 07-01.

Authoritative guidance on the definitions and safe management and disposal of healthcare waste is available from the DH web site at:

National Archives - Sustainable development - Waste[26]

A detailed summary of healthcare-related responsibilities is presented within the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01 (PDF) [27], and this includes consideration of health professionals working in the community. The Scottish Government provides detailed guidance on the safe management and disposal of clinical waste in the Scottish Infection Manual[28].

The safe disposal of all hazardous waste is part of the statutory duty of employers and the self-employed under the HSWA, COSHH and Hazardous Waste regulations made under the Environmental Protection Act.[29]

Link URLs in this page

  1. Biosafetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/index.htm
  2. Blood borne viruseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/index.htm
  3. Overview - What are BBVs?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/what-are-bvv.htm
  4. HIV virushttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/hiv.htm
  5. Hepatitis B virushttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/hepatitis-b.htm
  6. Hepatitis C virushttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/hepatitis-c.htm
  7. Overview - How blood-borne viruses are spreadhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/spread.htm
  8. Workplace transmissionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/workplace-transmission.htm
  9. Risk to healthcare workershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/risk-healthcare-workers.htm
  10. Sources of BBVshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/sources.htm
  11. Legal informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/legal-information.htm
  12. Risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/risk-assessment.htm
  13. Controls applicable to exposed occupationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/controls-applicable-exposed-occupations.htm
  14. Overview - Safe working practiceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/safe-working-practices.htm
  15. Health surveillance and occupational healthhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/health-surveillance-occupational.htm
  16. Avoiding sharps injurieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/avoiding-sharps-injuries.htm
  17. Personal protective equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/personal-protective-equipment.htm
  18. The use of gloveshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/use-of-gloves.htm
  19. Immunisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/immunisation.htm
  20. Disposal of wastehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/disposal-of-waste.htm
  21. Overview - Decontaminationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/decontamination.htm
  22. Methods of decontaminationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/methods-of-decontamination.htm
  23. Laundry treatments at high and low temperatureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/laundry-treatments.htm
  24. How to deal with an exposure incidenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/how-deal-exposure-incident.htm
  25. Incident reportinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/incident-reporting.htm
  26. National Archives - Sustainable development - Wastehttp://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/managingyourorganisation/estatesandfacilitiesmanagement/sustainabledevelopment/dh_4119635
  27. Health Technical Memorandum 07-01http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_126348.pdf
  28. Scottish Infection Manualhttp://www.nipcm.hps.scot.nhs.uk/
  29. Environmental Protection Act.http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/43/contents
  30. Control of substances hazardous to health (Fifth edition)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l5.htm
  31. Blood borne viruses in the workplace: Guidance for employers and employeeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/index.htm
  32. Providing and using work equipment safely: A brief guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg291.htm
  33. Scottish Infection Manualhttp://www.nipcm.hps.scot.nhs.uk/
  34. Environmental Protection Acthttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/43/contents
  35. COSHHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm
  36. RIDDORhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm
  37. Skinhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/skin/index.htm
  38. Health and social carehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/index.htm

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Updated 2024-02-15