Collection arrangements are available for the following types of waste:
- Hygiene waste: You can put non-infectious waste in your black rubbish bin
- Needles and syringes: If you're self-medicating, you can take your ‘sharps’ boxes to a participating pharmacy
- Clinical waste: Our clinical waste service can collect and incinerate waste that is infectious to humans
We do not currently provide a commercial clinical waste service.
Hygiene waste
Some types of healthcare-related waste can be put in your black bin. This waste can have an offensive odour or appearance but is not infectious.
We recommend putting this waste in tied bags to reduce the chance of leakages.
Examples include:
- catheter and stoma bags (drained)
- wound dressings (non-infectious)
- soiled bedding (vomit, human waste)
- nasal and respiratory secretions
- condoms
- sanitary waste
- nappies
- plasters
- incontinence pads
If you do not have room in your current black bin for your hygiene waste, we might be able to provide an additional bin. This will be a 140-litre bin unless you request a standard 240-litre bin.
Needles and syringes (‘sharps’)
You can take used needles and syringes in a ‘sharps’ box to a pharmacy that accepts self-medicating patients’ returns. Your GP surgery can provide you with empty sharps boxes.
If you’re self-medicating and unable to take your sharps to a pharmacy, you can ask us to collect them from you. We will collect a minimum of 3 full boxes approximately once a quarter. Contact us on 01954 713484 to request this.
Clinical waste
You can request free clinical waste collections if you’re treating yourself at home under the guidance of a GP or healthcare professional.
This service is only for infectious waste such as dressings, surgical waste, and pharmaceutical products.
You cannot use this service if you are being cared for at home by a healthcare professional.
Request a clinical waste collection
Your GP or healthcare professional must apply on your behalf - the application form also tells us what sort of waste needs collecting.
We currently use an external contractor to collect clinical waste. We will need to share your details with them.
We’ll collect your clinical waste every 2 weeks.
Leave the sacks outside your front door the evening before your scheduled collection. We’ll leave you the same number of empty bags as we take away.
You must use the sacks we provide and tie them shut. Do not put clinical waste in your normal rubbish bins – the collection crew will not be able to empty them.
Empty sharps boxes can be collected from your GP surgery. Used sharps that are contained within a sharps box can be taken free of charge to a pharmacy that accepts self-medicating patient returns. Please refer to the list below to find your closest participating pharmacy.
- Boots
Unit 3, Cambridge Retail Park, 320 Newmarket Road, Cambridge, CB5 8WR - Boots
25 High Street, Sawston, CB22 3BG - Cherry Hinton Pharmacy
39a High Street, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge, CB1 9HX - Lloyds
9 High Street, Cambourne, CB23 6JX - Well Pharmacy
222 High Street, Cottenham, CB24 8RZ - Trumpington Welfare Pharmacy
Hobson Square, Hobson Avenue, Trumpington, CB2 9FN - Melbourn Community Hub (Monday to Friday between 10am and 1pm)
30 High Street, Melbourn, SG8 6DZ
Self-medicating patients treating themselves at home who are unable to take their boxes to any of the pharmacies listed above can request a collection from the kerbside. We will collect a minimum of three full boxes approximately once a quarter. Please contact our Refuse Team on 01954 713 484.