Healthcare Waste Bags and Sharps Collections What is healthcare waste? What is offensive (non-infectious) waste? Orange Bag and rigid sharps container require a specialist collection that can be arranged through Healthcare waste is any waste which consists In a domestic setting waste such as; nappies, your Local Council. completely or partially of potentially harmful feminine hygiene products, incontinence pads and substances. These can include; human or animal swabs are considered as offensive (non-infected) What about pharmaceuticals that are no longer tissues, blood or other bodily fluids, excretions, waste and is acceptable with your regular needed? drugs or other pharmaceutical products, swabs or Household (non-recyclable bin) Collection. dressings, syringes, needles or other sharp These should be taken to a pharmacy who operate a instruments and waste which, unless considered What should I do with my infectious waste? ‘take back’ service. They should not be flushed down safe, may prove hazardous to any person coming the toilet or thrown into landfill. into contact with it . These can be classed as: All healthcare waste believed to be infected should be placed into an Orange Bag. These are available For further information or to request a Offensive (non-hazardous) waste from your Local Council. ALL Sharps (infected or confidential healthcare waste collection from Infectious clinical waste non-infected) must be placed into a rigid sharps your household, please contact your Local Infectious/non-infectious sharps waste container marked with a UN 3291 symbol. These Council using the numbers provided on the back are available from your Local Council or via of this leaflet. These waste types may be generated in prescription. household settings by self-medicating patients. Container What can I put in my container? How to dispose Non-infected gloves Non-infected bandages Non- Non-infected aprons Non-infected nappies This is classed as offensive (non-infected) recyclable Non-infected swabs Non-infected waste and is acceptable with your regular bin/sack Household (non-recyclable bin) Collection. incontinence pads Please double bag if possible. No Sharps or pharmaceuticals Infected gloves Infected bandages Orange Infected aprons Infected nappies Orange bags will be collected separately to your regular Household (non-recyclable) Infected swabs sack Infected incontinence Collection. This can be arranged through pads your Local Council No Sharps or pharmaceuticals Rigid containers will be collected separately to your regular Household (non-recyclable) SHARPS Pharmaceutically contaminated; needles, syringes, Collection. This can be arranged through blades and scissors your Local Council Rigid Sharps Container Please only put rigid containers out for disposal on the day of collection and not the evening before Local Council Contact Details Local Council Contact number Torbay Council 01803 701316 Teignbridge 0800 731 03 23 District Council South Hams 01803 861234 District Council (option 1) Example of one brand of a UN approved DISPOSING OF sharps container used for the safe storage and 01392 665010 disposal of all categories of sharps waste Exeter City Council (option 1 then 4) DOMESTIC East Devon District 01395 571515 Council HEALTHCARE Mid Devon District 01884 255255 WASTE Council North Devon 01271 374776 District Council Torridge District 01237 428734 Council West Devon 01822 813600 Borough Council (option 1) Plymouth City 01752 668000 Council (option 5) Example of an orange sack for the disposal of infected healthcare waste such as infected bandages..