Clinical waste

Book a clinical waste collection or order yellow clinical waste bags.

What is clinical waste and how do I get rid of it?

Clinical waste is any item which can cause infection or maybe hazardous to health. For this reason it needs to be disposed of separately and cannot be collected with your usual waste collections or taken a Household Waste Recycling Site.

Clinical waste may include:

  • sharps - needles and syringes
  • infected swabs and dressings
  • empty insulin cartridges
  • dialysis products.

We offer free collections of clinical and medical waste from households. Needles are collected from sharps boxes and other items from sacks.

The majority of healthcare related waste which is generated at home can be placed in your green bin. This type of waste is not infectious and has had no contact with infective material. Please ensure this type of waste is bagged.

Examples include the following:

  • Incontinence pads, nappies and other sanitary waste
  • Catheter bags
  • Stoma bags
  • ‘Peg’ or stomach feeding equipment.

If you are producing large amounts of this type of waste you can request another green bin.

Before requesting a collection, note that:

  • it's your nurse's or medical professional’s responsibility to dispose of your clinical waste if you've been treated at home
  • we don't provide replacement yellow sharps (needles) boxes - you need to request these from your healthcare provider
  • we won't collect loose needles or needles presented in any container other than a sealed sharps box
  • we can only collect sharps in a box with either a yellow or orange lid. If your box has a different coloured lid, you will need to speak to your healthcare professional regarding how to arrange for collection and disposal
  • if you have medicines that have passed their expiry date, take them to your pharmacist, who can dispose of them safely for you. You should never throw unused or expired medicines in your general waste bin.

Can I book a clinical waste collection?

You may be able to book a clinical waste collection if you meet certain conditions. Please answer the questions below to continue.

When will my clinical waste be collected?

Clinical waste is collected every week Monday to Friday. The day your waste is collected depends on the area you live in.

Where do I get yellow clinical waste bags and sharps boxes?

You can request a delivery of free yellow clinical waste bags for your clinical waste. Once you've made your request, a bundle of 25 sacks will be delivered within 10 working days.

Request clinical waste bags

Please note: we do not replace sharps boxes. You can get these from your GP or hospital.

Subscribe to East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Stay updated on the latest East Riding news

We use GovDelivery to send you emails, which is secure and you can choose to stop receiving emails at any time.

Find out more in our Privacy notice.

Subscribe to East Riding News

Alerts