Queen Mary University of London
Occupational Health and Safety Directorate (OHSD)
Management of College Hazardous Clinical Waste and Disposal
Briefing Note to Safety Coordinators and Key Managers / Contacts – 4 April 2012
This briefing note is to update you on the management of hazardous clinical and clinical
related wastes (also termed healthcare wastes) in the College.
Most of this information will be issued shortly as part of a revised and updated College
Standard for the Safe Management and Disposal of Hazardous Waste, which will update
and incorporate the standards and requirements under the Hazardous Waste Regulations
(England and Wales) 2005.
Hazardous Clinical wastes (healthcare wastes) are typically discarded solid and/or trace
liquid biologically hazardous materials such as human or animal tissue, cells, inactivated
(e.g. autoclaved) human or animal pathogens, GM / SAPO waste and discarded plastic /
paper / sharps consumables contaminated by these substances.
Some hazardous clinical waste (materials / consumable / sharps) may contain chemical
contaminants or cytotoxic / cytostatic compounds. Larger items may also be considered
clinical waste when contaminated with infectious material (e.g. HEPA filters, cages).
College Arrangements
A renewed Service Agreement has just been signed with PHS Waste Management for the
uplift and disposal of hazardous clinical waste from the College. (PHS and predecessor
companies have disposed of most College hazardous clinical wastes over the last 10-15
years).
PHS responsibilities:
1. PHS will uplift all correctly packaged and labelled hazardous clinical and clinicalrelated waste that is deposited in designated yellow clinical waste wheelie bins
(Eurolock type) and transport waste for final disposal (high temperature incineration).
(Attached table has full details of bin locations and key local contacts etc).
2. PHS will supply consumables (yellow clinical waste bags, cable ties and various
sized sharp bins) to package hazardous clinical waste. (Attached tables have full
details of consumable deliveries, required frequencies and drop off points etc).
3. PHS will prepare the Hazardous Waste Consignment notes.
4. PHS will send all College invoices and completed Hazardous Waste Consignment
notes to the Director of OHSD (Dr Kevin Thurlow).
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College staff responsibilities:
1. Hazardous clinical waste must be correctly segregated and packaged in the
appropriate (PHS supplied) coded/labelled yellow clinical waste bag / sharp bin
according to the type of waste and appropriate waste disposal route (see below for
further information).
2. Where European Waste Codes (EWC) are not pre-printed on the bag / container,
these must be correctly annotated (see below for further information).
3. Non-PHS supplied bags and sharp bins (which may be incorrectly coded / labelled)
must NOT be used.
4. To reduce manual handling risks to the PHS pick-up driver, yellow clinical waste
bags must NOT be filled with more than 5 kg (approx.) weight.
5. Correctly packaged hazardous waste bags (tied with the appropriate coloured cable
tie) and sharp bins (tied with the appropriate coloured cable tie, if needed for
identification) must be transported safely to the designated yellow clinical waste
wheelie bin, awaiting uplift.
6. Where significant amounts of sharp bins are generated at a location (e.g. John Vane
Science Centre, Blizard Institute), a dedicated yellow clinical waste wheelie bin must
be designated for sharp bins.
7. Sharp bins must NOT be wrapped within yellow clinical waste bags or other bags.
8. Yellow clinical waste wheelie bins must be kept locked and annotated (e.g. attach a
laminated sheet with information onto the bin) with the PHS servicing account
number, Dept / School / Institute name, local contact and College telephone number.
The wheelie bins should have the infectious transport label attached (if not, contact
Mark Ariyanayagam for a label).
9. Any PHS invoices or Hazardous Waste Consignment notes received locally should
be immediately forwarded to OHSD (FAO Mary Giguere).
10. Any deficiencies to the service or defects to facilities (e.g. to bins) should be
immediately noted to OHSD (FAO Mark Ariyanayagam).
OHSD responsibilities:
1. OHSD will manage the corporate contract with PHS, report deficiencies and defects
in clinical waste facilities and arrangements to PHS and/or School / Institute / Dept,
as appropriate.
2. OHSD will periodically inspect / survey clinical waste facilities and arrangements and
make recommendations to PHS and/or School / Institute / Dept for improvements.
3. OHSD will pay all College hazardous clinical waste invoices received from PHS and
retain all completed Hazardous Waste Consignment notes for 2 years.
4. OHSD will ensure that the annual Environment Agency Hazardous Waste Permits
are renewed.
Please contact Dr Mark Ariyanayagam (m.r.ariyanayagam@qmul.ac.uk, ext 8378 or 2079)
on any arising queries on the management and disposal of hazardous clinical waste in the
College. Where hazardous clinical wastes are also contaminated with radioactive or
significantly dangerous chemicals, contact Dr Paul Cassell as well for advice
(p.g.cassell@qmul.ac.uk, ext 8969 or 2079).
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Dr Mark Ariyanayagam
H&S Manager (Science, Eng & Medicine Safety Section)
Occupational Health and Safety Directorate
Queen Mary University of London
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Hazardous Clinical Waste Disposal Routes
(A) Yellow Clinical Waste Bag Disposal Route –
for solid waste (trace liquids only), non-sharps
Without pre-treatment:
Negligible - low risk biological / clinical material waste and disposable consumables
contaminated by these substances (materials equivalent to ACDP Hazard Group 1).
(E.g. tissue / blood sample solid residues that are known to be of negligible/low
infectious risk, cell lines with safe history of use, negligible/low infectious risk patient
care waste, negligible/low infectious risk animal bedding waste, soil samples of
negligible/low infectious risk that need incineration for final disposal, negligible / low
risk animal by-products).
After validated pre-treatment for inactivation (e.g. autoclaving, prior inactivation with
disinfectant):
GM Class 1 waste*
Pathogen waste – ACDP HG 1 waste*
Pathogen waste - ACDP HG 2 and 3; SAPO Class 2 and 3
GM Class 2 and 3 waste
Medium – high risk biological / clinical material waste (e.g. unscreened / infectious
tissue / blood sample solid residues, cell lines of unknown history / provenance,
unscreened primary cell lines, infectious animal bedding waste, higher risk animal byproducts).
Soil samples of unknown provenance which may contain infectious materials.
Plant, soil samples that contains GM material.
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Uplift and disposal of larger items such as fumigated HEPA filters, disinfected cages or
equipment that need final disposal via incineration needs to be pre-arranged with PHS.
*awaiting verification from PHS whether this waste can be disposed without pre-treatment
Note: human tissue from deceased donors may be subject to additional requirements under
the Human Tissue Act (HTA). Contact the College / Institute / School Responsible Person for
HTA matters for additional disposal requirements under the HTA.
(B) Sharp Bins Route, for solid waste (trace / small amounts of liquids
only)
1. Yellow lidded sharp bins - for non-blood containing infectious material
2. Orange lidded sharp bins - for blood / phlebotomy related sharps
3. Purple lidded sharp bins -for significant cytostatic / cytotoxic contaminated
sharps
Sharps examples: tips, serological pipettes, scalpels, needle sticks and syringes,
microscope slides, glass pasteur pipettes, small glass vials / ampoules (empty or trace liquid
contamination).
Without pre-treatment:
Negligible to low risk infectious biological / clinical material contaminated sharps waste,
equivalent to ACDP Hazard Group (HG) 1 (as noted above for yellow clinical bag route).
After validated pre-treatment for inactivation (e.g. autoclaving, prior inactivation
with disinfectant):
Sharps contaminated with medium to high risk infectious biological / clinical materials (as
noted above for yellow clinical bag route).
Note: human tissue from deceased donors may be subject to additional requirements under
the Human Tissue Act (HTA). Contact the College Responsible Person for HTA matters for
disposal requirements under the HTA.
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4. Full white sharp bins are to be used for amalgam waste (Institute of Dentistry) –
contact Barts Health Trust for arrangements (not uplifted under College contract with
PHS).
(C)
Where significant amounts of infectious liquids and/or dangerous chemicals
need to be uplifted by PHS for high temperature incineration contact Mark
Ariyanayagam / Paul Cassell for options.
(D) Radioactive waste must NOT be disposed via PHS. Contact Paul Cassell for
options.
Note – other coloured waste bags and sharp bins options are available for the
disposal of health care / clinical hazardous wastes under the Hazardous Waste
Regulations 2005 but OHSD has determined after consultation that the above
waste routes are currently sufficient. This will be kept under review.
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European Waste Codes (EWC) for Hazardous Clinical (Healthcare)
wastes
Note – more than one EWC may be applicable to the waste. There are further EWC’s for other types
of waste e.g. flammable chemicals. If you are unable to designate your waste to a EWC, contact Mark
Ariyanayagam.
“Absolute Entries”
Hazardous waste regardless of any threshold concentrations: A
“Mirror Entries”
Hazardous waste only if dangerous substances are present above threshold concentrations: M and
Animal Health Care and/or Restaurant wastes not arising from immediate health care)
18 01 wastes from natal care, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of disease in humans
18 01 01
18 01 02
18 01 03*
18 01 04
18 01 06*
18 01 07
18 01 08*
18 01 09
18 01 10*
18 02
Sharps (except 18 01 03)
Body parts and organs including blood bags and blood preserves (except 18 01 03)
Wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements in order to
prevent infection A
Wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements
in order to prevent infection (for example dressings, plaster casts, linen, disposable
clothing, diapers)
Chemicals consisting of or containing dangerous substances M
Chemicals other than those mentioned in 18 01 06
Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines A
Medicines other than those mentioned in 18 01 08
Amalgam waste from dental care A
wastes from research, diagnosis, treatment or prevention of disease involving animals
18 02 01
18 02 02*
18 02 03
18 02 05*
18 02 06
18 02 07*
18 02 08
sharps (except 18 02 02)
wastes whose collection and disposal is subject to special requirements in
order to prevent infection A
wastes whose collection and disposal is not subject to special requirements in
order to prevent infection
chemicals consisting of or containing dangerous substances M
chemicals other than those mentioned in 18 02 05
cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines A
medicines other than those mentioned in 18 02 07
EWC’s generally applicable to College hazardous clinical waste:
18 01 03 for human infectious / blood waste that requires high temperature incineration and/or sharps
that require high temperature incineration
18 01 03 and 18 01 06 for human infectious / blood waste that requires high temperature incineration
and also contains dangerous chemicals (i.e. chemicals containing a Hazard Statement (previously a
Risk Phrase).
18 01 08 for significant cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines / waste
18 01 03 and 18 01 08 for human infectious / blood waste that requires high temperature incineration
and significant cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines / waste
18 01 01 for human infectious sharps that do not require high temperature incineration (e.g. low risk)
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18 02 02 for animal infectious waste that requires high temperature incineration.
18 02 03 for low risk animal infectious waste that does not require high temperature incineration (e.g.
low risk)
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