Our Drug Cleaning Service
Hazardous waste from drug abuse, including hypodermic needles and syringes should never be disposed of in the domestic waste stream because mixing waste is prohibited in England and Wales under Duty of Care and the Hazardous Waste Regulations.
Waste must be properly sorted in line with the colour coded classification system which is designed for ease of recognition and handling by producers and disposers. Below is an easy guide to the colours used in segregation of waste across England and Wales:
- Yellow Lidded Bins - partially discharged sharps including those contaminated with medicines (not cytotoxic and cytostatic) and wastes which require incineration.
- Blue Lidded Bins – medicinal and pharmaceutical (not cytotoxic and cytostatic) waste in original or similar packaging for incineration.
- Orange Lidded Bins – items that are contaminated with bodily fluids suitable for alternative treatment e.g. sharps, wipes, dressings, and gloves etc.
- Purple Lidded Bins - waste that is contaminated with cytostatic and cytotoxic medicinal products for incineration.
- Red Lidded Bin - Anatomical waste which includes recognisable body parts and placenta, requires disposal by incineration
- Yellow & Black Bags - Offensive/hygiene waste, such as; nappies, wipes, gloves and any garments with non-infectious body fluids, may be recycled, incinerated or landfilled.
- White – Amalgam wastes & Dental Study Moulds containing Gypsum which are either recovered or recycled.
- Black Bags – Municipal (domestic) waste such as; food and drink packaging, newspaper, fruit and tissues.
A producer of hazardous waste is legally required to classify and describe their waste according to this classification system.
As a fully licenced provider of waste management services we have the experience and capacity to work alongside you on a long term drug cleaning program. This ensures the safe collection and disposal of hazardous substance abuse waste including:
- Sharps (including hypodermic needles and syringes)
- General substance abuse waste
- Blood
- Anatomical waste
- Hazardous substances
- Controlled substances
Our team will carry out a thorough assessment of all health risks and undertake a complete sweep within and around the contaminated house/property ensuring every ‘sharps’ biohazard is removed. This ensures you remain legislatively compliant and have complete peace of mind that all needles and their associated risks of contamination have been removed.