What is hazardous healthcare waste?

Hazardous healthcare waste is waste that meets the legal hazardous properties. It is not a fifth bag colour. Infectious clinical waste, many medicines, amalgam and cytotoxic items can all be hazardous. An asterisk on a List of Waste code, such as 18 01 03*, marks a hazardous entry. The movement then needs a consignment note, and the producer keeps the register.

Bag colour tells staff what they are holding. The consignment note records a hazardous movement. GOV.UK asks producers to classify before collection and to keep consignment notes for three years at the producing premises.

Streams that are often hazardous

Offensive waste is not “a bit hazardous”. Do not upgrade or downgrade a bag to change the note. Unknown liquids are not given a hazardous code to win a collection. They are identified first, or declined.

Orange infectious bag — Hazardous, 18 01 03* — Consignment note when that is what the load requires
Amalgam and mercury residues — Hazardous — Consignment note, not a clinical sack
Many medicines — Hazardous once classified — Consignment note
Cytotoxic or cytostatic waste — Hazardous medicinal stream — Purple packaging and a consignment note
Tiger-stripe, 18 01 04 — Non-hazardous offensive — Transfer note, not a consignment note by default

Tips before the note is signed

Name the item. “Hazardous stuff” is not a description.
Match the note to the boxes. A false description is still a false description if the van has arrived.
Keep infectious bags, amalgam pots and medicines in their own containers.
Keep copies. GOV.UK requires a three-year register for hazardous waste at the producing premises.
Check the carrier on the public register. Ours is CBDU642850.

What we will and will not carry

We collect identified hazardous healthcare items we can package and carry: infectious bags already on the account, amalgam, classified medicines and named chemicals. We do not accept unknown liquids. We are the carrier. Treatment stays at permitted facilities. Call 0121 663 6796 with the list, not a guess.

Frequently asked questions

Is every clinical bag hazardous?

Infectious clinical waste from human healthcare is classified as hazardous on GOV.UK when it is 18 01 03*. Offensive waste 18 01 04 is listed as non-hazardous. The code follows the assessment, not the word clinical.

Is a consignment note the same as a transfer note?

No. A transfer note is the duty-of-care record. A consignment note is the record for a hazardous movement. The classification decides which one the load needs.

Do you run a hazardous-waste plant?

No. We are a registered carrier. The destination is an authorised facility.

Bio Waste Solutions Group · Environment Agency carrier CBDU642850 · 0121 663 6796 · Request a quote · Company information