Waste Management Guidance for Highly Infectious Waste
to Accompany HPS Guidance
[enter NHSS Board name]
1. The [NHSS Board’s] waste contractor: [Add healthcare waste contractor
company name] should be notified as soon as possible that highly infectious
waste is being produced or may be produced from a suspected case.
Notification can be made by the clinician or via the Board’s NHS Waste
Manager. [Add Contractor name and telephone number].
2. The waste management contractor Healthcare Environmental Group (HEG)
has been appointed to provide specialist packaging to Boards with known or
suspected highly infectious waste. HEG are responsible for holding the central
supply of specialist packaging and will deliver to sites within 12 hours where
possible (longer delivery time may apply for remote sites). HEG should be
contacted using the following telephone number: 01501 822233. HEG will
supply packaging to all sites across Scotland including those which may use
other contractors for the uplift and disposal of their healthcare waste. Boards are
not required or encouraged to hold their own stock of specialist containers. On
receipt of the packaging the Board will be invoiced for the packaging to ensure
that the national central supply can be restocked, Boards should also
communicate and order additional specialist packaging as the initial stock
provided is sufficient for the first 24/48hrs of care only.
3. In the period before receipt of the specialist packaging all waste should be
placed in primary packaging from stocks on site. ‘Soft’ waste generated as a
result of patient care should be double bagged in yellow clinical waste bags.
Sharps waste should be placed in a yellow lidded sharps container (the
smallest size needed to accommodate the amount of waste produced, ensuring
the sharps box is not filled more than ¾ full). The waste should ideally be stored
with the patient (in their room) or in a secured quarantine area awaiting the
delivery of specialist packaging and/or laboratory results confirming the type of
infection. If waste needs to be transported prior to the delivery of the specialist
containers, primary containers (doubled bagged waste or sharps boxes) should
be placed in a rigid sealed container (such as a bin burn) and if there is any
concern about the presence of free liquid solidifying gel / granules should be
added. Where practicable the rigid containers should then be placed in a 770ltr
wheeled healthcare waste cart. In the case of patient transfer by ambulance
where it is not possible to use the 770Ltr carts, the rigid sealed containers should
be loaded into the vehicle and accompany the patient. All waste packages
should be clearly labelled UN2814.
Version 2.0: January 2015
 Health Facilities Scotland, a division of NHS National Services Scotland.
Page 1 of 2
4. HEG will supply two sizes of packaging:
 20 Litre UN2814 specialist containers suitable for use in
the clinical area. This packaging is comprised of a thick
gauge bag within a barrel shaped rigid container and a
labelled cardboard box with packaging material ensuring
that the barrel shaped rigid container is secured. Only
the barrel shaped rigid container (which includes an
integral thick gauge bag) should be placed in the patient
room. Once filled the rigid container (with integral bag)
should be removed from the patient area and placed
inside the box provided with the accompanying
packaging material. The box should then be placed in a
secure storage area away from other wastes. The surface of the cardboard
box should be clean and not contaminated.
 A kit to make larger 4-part packages will be provided, these are suitable for
bulky items including contaminated PPE or waste generated as a result of
room cleaning. The kit includes instructions for assembly. The kit contains
thick gauge bags and rigid containers which should be placed in a locked
wheeled 770 litre bin. The approved packaging is permitted for use under
derogation from Carriage Regulations and approval is required from the
Department of Transport prior to transport, this should be sought in association
with the waste contractor responsible for the uplift and disposal of the waste.
5. Specific guidance should be sought from the waste contractor regarding the
packaging and uplift of very large and bulky items including room fittings and
mattresses.
6. The Contractor should liaise with the site regarding suitable short-term on-site
quarantine storage for highly infectious wastes separate from ALL other wastes.
Quarantine areas for highly infectious waste should be away from areas used to
store other wastes, including other clinical wastes. Where practicable within the
quarantine area boxes containing highly infectious waste should be placed
directly into a dedicated 770 litre wheeled container to avoid double handling of
the waste before uplift. Quarantine areas should be locked to prevent
unauthorised access and a record of all waste entering and leaving the area
should be maintained.
7. The timing and frequency of collection must be agreed with the waste contractor
at a local level. Highly infectious waste should not be permitted to accumulate.
8. The contractor is responsible for providing any additional packaging or labelling
required prior to movement off site using information provided by the Board.
9. In the event that this procedure requires to be activated any associated costs will
appear in the regular monthly invoice, thus no further authorisation should be
required from the Board Waste Management Officer.
Version 2.0: January 2015
 Health Facilities Scotland, a division of NHS National Services Scotland.
Page 2 of 2