Hazardous Waste, EWC 18-01-03

This type of waste is defined as waste that contains hazardous properties that may render it harmful to human health or the Environment it is defined as any waste which is made up completely or partly of:

• Human or animal tissue
• Blood or other bodily fluids
• Excretions
• Drugs or other pharmaceutical products
• Swabs or dressings
• Syringes, needles or other sharp instruments
• Also includes drugs or other pharmaceutical products

Infectious waste is known as Clinical waste and is mainly produced by hospitals, health clinics, doctors' surgeries and veterinary practices, but can come from residential homes, nursing homes and private households, or the collection of blood for transfusion, which may cause infection to any person coming into contact with it.

The Hazardous Waste Regulations define infectious (H9) as: Substances containing viable micro-organisms or their toxins which are known or reliably believed to cause disease in man or other living organisms

Transfer notes/Consignment notes

All producers of waste their employees and service carriers, have a duty of care to ensure all waste is being disposed of legally. A duty of care is imposed on all those who import, produce, carry, keep, treat and dispose of controlled waste or have control of such waste. All those to whom the Duty applies must:

• Prevent waste from escaping

• Ensure that waste is transferred only to and by an authorised person or to a person for authorised transport purposes

• Transfer a written description with the inclusion of the relevant EWC code

along with the waste sufficient to enable others to avoid committing an offence (transfer note).

• A consignment note is required that accurately describes the type of waste produced.

• Waste transfer notes must be kept for a minimum of two years