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Dental waste collection and management service
phs delivers a fully compliant dental waste management solution designed around the specific needs of your practice. Whether you operate as a private surgery, a group practice, or an NHS dentist, we make it simple to manage your waste obligations correctly while keeping your team focused on patient care.
As a trusted supplier to private and NHS dental practices across the UK we provide everything you need for safe and compliant disposal, including correctly segregated containers for amalgam waste, gypsum, sharps, and clinical waste. All handled in line with current Environment Agency guidance and the Hazardous Waste Regulations. Our trained technicians manage scheduled collections and ensure all waste streams are transported and processed through appropriate, legally compliant disposal routes.
With expert support from our compliance specialists, we help you stay on top of your duty of care obligations, CQC expectations, amalgam separator requirements, and the SSFA (Society of British Dental Nurses) guidance on waste segregation.
With phs, you get a complete, worry-free dental waste service that protects your patients, your team, and your compliance.
How our dental waste collection service works
Our service manages everything for you providing you with all the paperwork and digital records needed on each collection for your records and audits.
We can advise you on the right waste solution using the information you provide and, where required, complete a site survey before agreeing a collection schedule that works for your organisation.
Here’s what's included:
Quote and site survey if required
Delivery and replacement bins
Efficient collection and management
Copies of all paperwork all uploaded to Myphs portal for easy access
Fully guaranteed products for the duration of the contract
Simple payment plan for flexibility
Fully licenced and regulated service
Waste safely destroyed and disposed of
Dental waste collection and disposal for all dental practices
We work with a range of different healthcare practices and businesses including:
Dental waste management products
We offer a range of serviced products for all dental waste needs. These products include:
Gypsum Waste Disposal Container
Our cardboard container is designed to segregate and securely store Gypsum waste including dental moulds. It’s FSC approved and made from a significant percentage of recycled content.
- Engineered with a strong, rigid body, ensuring enhanced durability
- Temporary and final closure to prevent spillages and overfilling
- Fully compliant, meets the rigorous standards set by UN3291 25 litre capacity
Amalgam Disposal Containers
Fully compliant with Control of Mercury (Enforcement) Regulations 2017 and HTM 07 01 healthcare waste storage requirements. Our containers for amalgam waste storage and disposal are available in a range of sizes depending on the type of treatment and waste. The containers available are for capsules, sludge disposal and teeth extraction.
- Available in 650ml, 1.8 litre and 6 litres
- Air and watertight
- Certified mercury vapour suppressant, removing 95% of vapours
Amalgam Separator Container
Crucial to capture and remove mercury containing amalgam particles from dental wastewater before they enter the drainage system. Our amalgam separator pots by Durr Dental ensure compliance with UK environmental regulations by retaining at least 95% of amalgam waste. This helps practices protect the environment and meet legal obligations.
- Available in small, medium and large sizes
- For the VSA300S suction pump
- Waste is collected and fully managed by phs
Dental Sharps Disposal
Yellow dental sharps bin
Yellow-lidded sharps bins are for dental sharps contaminated with non-hazardous pharmaceuticals, for example administering medication such as needles and syringes with medication residue.
Waste examples include:
- Used local anesthetic needles
- Any sharp dental instruments that carry biological or medicinal contamination
- Syringes and other sharps contaminated with blood or medication
Dental Waste Bags
Tiger bags
Used specifically for the disposal of offensive or hygiene waste that is non-infectious, but unsuitable for standard municipal collection.
Examples of waste include masks, gloves and aprons that aren't visibly soiled or blood stained, and clean impression trays, paper towels and plastic packaging.
Orange waste bags
Used for the disposal of infectious clinical waste that does not require incineration, but must be kept separate from both domestic waste and offensive waste streams.
Suitable for single-use PPE including contaminated gloves, aprons, and face masks used during clinical procedures.
Why choose phs?
Sustainable and eco-friendly service
phs has the bronze EcoVadis award for sustainability meaning we’re in the top 35% of companies in the world for sustainability. Our practices and products cut our carbon footprint and supports your ESG objectives.
Paperless account management
The Myphs online portal offers an easy way to access key documents, raise queries, track visits, and pay invoices. This saves paper and keeps you organised with everything you need in one place.
Fully managed licenced service
We provide you with all the paperwork you need, can advise you on best practice. We then take care of the disposal with our licenced service saving you resources and admin.
Trusted by thousands
With over 6,000 reviews and an ‘Excellent’ Trustpilot rating, and over 120,000 customers including hundreds of NHS and private practices, phs is a trusted partner in dental and healthcare waste.
Over 60 years’ experience
As market leaders in healthcare waste, you can trust us as your dental waste disposal partner, keeping you legal and compliant.
Flexible products and service
Dental waste products to cover every area of your practice and a collection schedule to suit you. Our dental waste disposal service can suit any type of dental surgery or practice.
Dental Waste Disposal Guidelines
Dental waste is tightly regulated to protect staff, patients, and the environment.
There are several regulations, laws and best practices to follow when dealing with dental waste storage and collection.
Dental practices across the UK must comply with the following key legislation and guidance:
Establishes the duty of care for all waste producers.
Governs classification, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste including amalgam.
The primary guidance document for safe management of healthcare waste, referenced across all four nations.
Restricts amalgam use and requires amalgam separators in all dental practices.
The core obligations are the same wherever you practice. The main differences are around which regulator you report to and which waste carrier registration to look for:
England – regulated by the Environment Agency (EA); dental compliance overseen by the CQC.
Wales – regulated by Natural Resources Wales (NRW); compliance overseen by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales.
Scotland – regulated by SEPA; uses "special waste" terminology and its own consignment note format; compliance overseen by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
Northern Ireland – regulated by NIEA (DAERA); compliance overseen by the RQIA. NI may also be more directly influenced by evolving EU waste regulations due to the Windsor Framework.
Key obligations for all dental practices
Amalgam separators
Must be installed and maintained to ISO standard 11143 (≥95% retention efficiency).
Duty of care
Requires use of a registered waste carrier and retention of waste transfer notes for a minimum of 2 years (3 years for hazardous waste consignment notes).
Waste segregation
At source using the HTM 07-01 colour-coded container system.
No amalgam to drain
Amalgam traps must be regularly maintained and contents collected by an authorised contractor.
National Mobilisation for Gensmile Dental Group
phs became Gensmile Dental Group's new dental waste management partner across 37 practices, transitioning from multiple waste carriers and contracts to one reliable carrier.
We cover the whole of the UK, so can offer our full dental waste management and collection service, no matter where your surgery or practice is based.
No, although amalgam was banned by the EU in 2025, the UK did not adopt this due to not being bound by EU regulations post Brexit.
The UK has agreed to phase it out and cease its use by 2034 under the Minamata Convention. This also includes Northern Ireland.
Collection frequency depends on the volume of waste your practice generates. Most practices operate on a scheduled collection cycle, typically monthly or quarterly though this can be adjusted based on your waste output.
We can carry out a pre-acceptance audit to help determine the right schedule for your needs.
Dental practices produce several distinct waste streams, each requiring separate handling. These include amalgam waste, sharps, infectious clinical waste, offensive waste, gypsum and plaster, radiographic chemicals, and lead foil from X-ray packets.
Each stream has its own container or bag type and disposal route, mixing them is a compliance risk.
You must retain waste transfer notes for a minimum of two years. For hazardous waste including amalgam, consignment notes must be kept for at least three years. These records demonstrate your duty of care and may be requested during a CQC inspection or regulatory audit.
All the documents and notes you need to keep are always uploaded to your Myphs portal on every collection, so you can view them all in one place and stay organised.
Once collected, we transport dental waste to authorised facilities for safe disposal. Waste is then either incinerated, autoclaved or sent for alternative treatment to be recycled as waste to energy.
These processes comply with strict environmental and healthcare waste regulations and laws to protect public health and the environment.
You can read more in our guide on how clinical waste is disposed of.
