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Healthcare Waste Disposal in Hospitals: Understanding HTM 07 01 Healthcare Waste Categories
Hospitals and healthcare facilities generate substantial volumes of waste on a daily basis, comparable to other large scale organisations and service providers. What differentiates healthcare waste, however, is the presence of medical and clinical materials. From used syringes to soiled dressings, waste produced in healthcare environments must be carefully segregated and disposed of to minimise risks to patients, staff, the public, and the environment.
Effective waste management begins with understanding correct waste segregation and this is where clinical waste bins play a critical role. Our guide explains the meaning of clinical waste and provides clear guidance on what should be disposed of in each type of hospital bin.
What is the definition of clinical waste?
Under HTM 07 01: Safe and Sustainable Management of Healthcare Waste, clinical waste is defined as healthcare waste that poses a risk of infection or contamination and therefore requires special handling, treatment, and disposal. Clinical waste is typically generated during medical, nursing, dental, veterinary, or laboratory activities and may contain pathogens, blood, bodily fluids, pharmaceuticals, or other potentially hazardous materials.
HTM 07 01 aligns with UK legislation, including the Controlled Waste Regulations and environmental permitting guidance, and classifies clinical waste primarily by risk, rather than by where it is produced. Waste is considered clinical if it is infectious, sharps related, or otherwise hazardous to human health or the environment
Why proper waste disposal matters
Proper waste disposal is essential to protect patients, healthcare staff, the public, and the environment. Healthcare facilities generate significant amounts of clinical waste, estimated at around 0.5 kg of hazardous waste per hospital bed per day, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Without correct segregation and disposal, clinical waste can lead to:
• Infection risks
• Needle-stick injuries and exposure to bloodborne pathogens
• Environmental contamination
• Increased waste disposal costs due to poor separation
Using the correct waste bins supports safe, efficient waste management and helps healthcare organisations meet legal and regulatory requirements.
Healthcare Waste Streams and Examples
Healthcare professionals generate different types of waste, each of which must be placed in the correct bin to ensure safe handling, treatment, and compliance.
Waste that may pose a risk of infection but does not require incineration.
Examples include:
- Used dressings and swabs contaminated with blood or bodily fluids
- Gloves, aprons, and masks used in clinical procedures
- Items from patient care where infection is suspected
Where it goes:
Waste that poses a high risk and requires specialist treatment, often incineration.
Examples include:
- Used dressings or swabs potentially contaminated with chemicals or pharmaceuticals
- Materials contaminated with highly infectious pathogens
- Certain laboratory waste
Where it goes:
Waste generated in healthcare settings where patients are not known or suspected to have an infection.
Examples include:
- Non infectious wound dressings
- Used PPE (gloves, aprons, masks) with no infection risk
- Vomit bowls or containers with no infection risk
- Incontinence products and nappies
- Sanitary products
Where it goes:
Tiger-striped bins. This category is non-hazardous but still unpleasant, so it’s handled separately from domestic waste.
What it includes:
• Needles and syringes
• Scalpels
• Broken glass from vials
Where it goes:
Sharps waste must be disposed of in puncture-proof containers to avoid injury and contamination.
Unused, expired, or contaminated medicines. Non-hazardous medicines
What it includes:
- Tablets and capsules
- Liquid medicines
- Vaccine vials
- Partially used medication
Where it goes:
Blue bins for non-hazardous pharmaceuticals.
Waste contaminated with medicines used in cancer treatment.
Examples include:
- Chemotherapy medicines
- Items contaminated with cytotoxic or cytostatic drugs
- PPE used during preparation or administration
Where it goes:
Purple sharps bins.
The role of colour-coded bins in hospitals
Colour-coded clinical waste bins are more than just a visual aid - they’re a compliance tool. The UK’s HTM 07-01 guidance on waste management stresses the importance of correct colour coding to ensure proper segregation, treatment, and disposal. It also helps prevent costly mistakes: mixing general waste with clinical waste can increase disposal costs by up to 400%.
Safe and effective waste disposal with phs
Investing in the right clinical waste bins not only promotes safety and hygiene - but it also ensures compliance with UK regulations. Whether you're managing a hospital, GP surgery, dental practice or care home, having a clear waste disposal system in place protects your staff, your patients and the wider community.
At phs, we provide a range of products and services to help you manage clinical waste effectively. From sharps containers to colour-coded wheelie bins, our solutions support safe and efficient medical waste disposal across all healthcare facilities.
Not only do we sell the products you need to manage medical waste effectively, but we also provide waste collection and cleaning services. This can save your facility time, and ensured your waste is handled correctly. Whatever your needs, our team can make sure they’re met.
Get in touch today to find out more about our medical waste disposal services.
