MedSafe UK - Managing Waste

Throughout the world, as life spans increase and populations grow, the demand for medical facilities is on the rise. Hospitals now generate more clinical waste than ever before and with it, serious challenges for infection control and protection of health care staff and the environment.

The containment, handling, transportation and disposal of medical waste is subject to stringent legislation.

All producers have a legal and moral obligation to ensure that their waste is handled and disposed of properly. MEDsafe UK ensures that all procedures are undertaken in accordance with current UK and European Law.

As a professional you will understand that where clinical waste is produced there is the risk of serious infection spreading quickly. You will also understand that any clinical waste collected or generated by your organisation remains your responsibility. What you need is a professional clinical waste collection and disposal service.

Medsafe UK Ltd can offer you just that.

Safe, simple and effective, Medsafe’s clinical waste containers are hygienic and convenient. They contain the unique sanitising treatment, Activap, to render waste harmless, giving you the assurance that it is being correctly stored and treated.

Easy to use, our units help safeguard you against possible legal action resulting from incorrect storage. Medsafe UK Ltd can help you to provide a safe, hygienic working environment through the safe disposal of clinical waste.

The right approach

MEDsafe UK can offer our clients a full range of disposable solutions for all clinical and sharps waste all conforming to the new Environment Agency regulations Disposal of Sharps Waste and The Special Waste Regulations 1996 (as amended).

With all three classifications now in force "special waste" is seen to be potentially more harmful to the environment or the general population. As such this waste is now tracked more closely than either household or sanitary waste. An Environment Agency Consignment Note is therefore used by the Environment Agency to track each individual shipment and ensure that this is transported and disposed of correctly.

MEDsafe UK will produce this note on your behalf and will ensure that this is completed correctly and logged with the Environment Agency.

 In the last few years, issues have been raised by The Department of Health on decontamination and re-use of instruments from clinical procedures in relation to the risk of infection. The Department have also recently issued specific guidance relating to single use instrument for dentists and other practitioners.

This has lead to an increase in single use instruments and the need for their safe disposal as clinical waste.

Medsafe can offer two types of units:
Hard clinical waste unit - for non-sharp single use instruments - retractors, speculum etc.

The unit has a solid removable lid to allow for larger single use items if necessary, and is suitable for metal or plastic items (and other hard items contaminated only with infectious body fluids e.g. glass). This waste is incinerated or treated in suitably permitted facilities.

Sharps units - for sharp items which are single use and not contaminated with medicines eg. scalpels, scissors etc.
The sharps waste unit is yellow to indicate clinical waste with an orange lid to identify as non-medicinal sharps waste. It is a self locking final closure, to provide the necessary added security for sharp items which can pose a greater risk.
This is suitable for metal or plastic items (and any other hard items contaminated only with infectious body fluids e.g. glass).
Due to the disposal of items as being infectious, all these wastes are likely to be hazardous waste (special waste in Scotland). Click here to visit the Hazardous and Special Waste Regulations page and then come back and read on…
Here are disposable solutions for all your clinical and sharps waste needs…
All our clients need do is ensure that any Category 3 sharps we collect are segregated and placed in the appropriate container. For needles, razors and scalpels we have a comprehensive range of containers, including 5 litre, 11 litre and 22 litre sharps containers, for the safe collection and disposal of contaminated sharps and hazardous waste.

dental waste

To compliment the need for total clinical waste care we now offer the removal of dental waste, with a safe  economical service that meets all legal requirements, our dental waste service offers many assurances, especially where the appropriate disposal of products such as amalgam, lead, sharps and soft clinical waste are concerned. Our packages are suitable for all sizes of dental surgeries.
A choice of 6 packages allows you to choose the most appropriate package for your surgery, with additional units available. New units are supplied on each service by trained personnel.

 hazardous waste regulations

From 16th July 2005, The Hazardous Waste Regulations and The Hazardous Waste (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2005 replaced The Special Waste Regulations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Special Waste (Amendment) Regulations 2004 had previously amended the Special Waste 1996 Regulations in Scotland. Certain clinical, medicinal & dental wastes are affected by the new Regulations. The responsibility for determining if waste is special/hazardous rests with the producer, that’s you, although Medsafe UK Ltd can assist & advise.

The current position regarding these wastes is:

soft/hard clinical waste, sharps and pharma-sharps

This waste may be classed as hazardous (or special in Scotland) due to its infectious nature. The Department of Health have produced important new guidance in 'Safe Management of Healthcare Waste' (DoH 2006), See our download page.

An important aspect of this Guidance is whether clinical waste is from a healthcare or non-healthcare activity and how that affects whether it needs to be consigned as hazardous or special (Scotland) waste.

The Environment Agency, SEPA and EHS(NI) ('The Agencies') have jointly produced Guidance in 'Interpretation of the Definition & Classification of Hazardous Waste' ( 'WM2' ) on determining if your waste is hazardous or special (Scotland). This was revised in November 2005. The relevant section of this can be found on our downloaded page.

Feminine hygiene, nappy & incontinence wastes are not classed as hazardous or special (Scotland) waste.

other dental and x-ray waste

Amalgam / spent capsules, x-ray developer & fixer remain hazardous under the New Regulations. The British Dental Association has also produced guidance which can be found on our download page or forwarded on request by email or post.

medicines

Although previously, prescription only medicines were always special waste, only cytotoxic & cytostatic medicines are hazardous or special (Scotland) under the new Regulations. Although cytotoxic medicines are well recognised, cytostatic medicines are not defined in UK legislation.

if you produce hazardous or special waste:

england and wales

You need to be registered with The Environment Agency annually before hazardous waste is removed, for which a charge is payable. We will be unable to collect hazardous waste after 16 July 2005 unless you are registered or qualify as exempt.

If you are a type of premises specified in the Regulations and produce less than 200kg per annum (500 kg/annum in the case of agricultural premises) of hazardous waste in total (of all types, not just those listed here) and it is removed by a Registered (eg Medsafe UK Ltd) or Exempt Waste Carrier you are exempt from registration.

All hazardous waste removed will need to be accompanied by Consignment Notes and the appropriate fee paid quarterly to The Environment Agency. This applies even if you are exempt from Annual registration with The Environment Agency as outlined above.

You must not mix hazardous with non-hazardous waste.

what Medsafe UK Ltd can do for you

in england and wales

Register each of your premises as producing hazardous waste with The Environment Agency for a fee of £50. If you are exempt or registered by yourselves / other Contractors, we will need confirmation of that (now and each year when renewed) & certain other information e.g. your SIC code?

Provide you with confirmation of registration which may be required to dispose of other hazardous wastes.

Prepare Consignment Notes, & provide your required copies, with confirmation of delivery to an appropriately authorised site (a requirement of the new Regulations), & payment of the fee to The Environment Agency. The charge for each collection will be £15.

what we need you to do as an existing or proposed Medsafe UK customer

We need you to tell us:

Which waste is hazardous, as some wastes we collect may be hazardous and some not.

If in England or Wales, if your Premises is registered (and if so, details of that Registration) or if you are exempt from Registration or if you wish us to register you and maintain that Registration annually for which a charge of £150 per annum will apply (please note that exemption from Registration does not exempt Customers with hazardous waste from Consignment Notes for each collection and hence relevant charges.

In order for us to provide you with a service, the Hazardous Waste form can be downloaded & returned by e-mail to hazardous@cannonhygiene.com, or by fax or post to the number or address shown on form.

Scotland & northern ireland

Registration of premises with SEPA or the EHS(NI) is not a requirement of the Regulations, so premises registration or exemption from registration does not apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

All hazardous and special (Scotland) waste removed will need to be accompanied by Consignment Notes and the appropriate fee for each Consignment Note paid to SEPA/EHS(NI).

You must not mix hazardous with non-hazardous waste.

what Medsafe UK can do for you

in scotland and northern ireland

Prepare Consignment Notes, & provide your required copies and copies to SEPA/EHS(NI), with confirmation of delivery to an appropriately authorised site if in Northern Ireland (a requirement of the new Regulations ), & payment of the fee to SEPA/EHS(NI). The charge for each collection will be £20 in Scotland but is included in the cost of the service in Northern Ireland (due to different charges for Consignment Notes made by SEPA in Scotland and EHS in Northern Ireland)

what we need you to do as an existing or proposed Medsafe UK customer

We need to tell us:

Which waste is hazardous or special (Scotland), as some wastes we collect may be hazardous and some not.

In order for us to provide you with a service, the Medsafe UK Hazardous Waste reply Form (Scotland/Northern Ireland) can be downloaded & returned by e-mail to hazardous@medasafeuk.co.uk, or by fax or post to the number or address shown on form.