Offensive Waste Guide

Firstly we need to address the key waste areas that the UK government outlines in their article "How to classify different types of waste" for commercial waste management. This article is very useful but requires some industry knowledge so becomes less useful for "real-world" implementation.

We can rapidly remove a lot of other waste from this subject by quickly listing the other key waste disposal areas for UK businesses: Construction and demolition waste, packaging waste and recyclables, electronic and electrical equipment, vehicle wastes and the more specific hazardous health care waste. The last item does have overlap into "offensive waste" and that is where we aim to clear up this issue.

"Offensive Waste" is classified as "non-clinical waste that’s non-infectious and doesn’t contain pharmaceutical or chemical substances, but may be unpleasant to anyone who comes into contact with it". There is a limit to the amount of "offensive waste" that can be disposed of by a business in the general "municipal" waste (black bags) that is set at 7kg. It is your business responsibility to ensure this 7kg is not exceeded. Not a particularly pleasant task!

Healthcare Offensive Waste

• Outer dressings and protective clothing like masks, gowns and gloves that haven't been contaminated with body fluids
• Sterilised laboratory waste
• First aid plasters
• Body piercing and tattoo bandages
• Disposable bed covers (massage/treatment beds)
• Disposable underwear

Hygiene Waste

• Sanitary products
• Nappies
• Incontinence pads
• Tissues with "nasal secretions or sputum"
• Animal faeces
• Catheter and stoma bags

This waste can be easily managed and disposed of using commerical waste management services including sanitary bins, clinical waste bins, sharps bins and nappy bins combined with pro-actively monitored waste disposal service intervals and automatic issuing of waste transfers notices ensuring that businesses can continue to do what they do best....their business whilst businesses like Zenith Washroom Solutions do what we do best....take this administrative task off your books.