Last updated:
8th June 2026
Clinical waste collection
Learn how it works or arrange a collection
How clinical waste collection service works
We collect clinical waste free of charge if you treat yourself at home because of a medical condition.
Any waste produced during treatment provided in a patient’s home by an NHS nurse or other healthcare professional is classed as healthcare professional waste. This waste should be removed by the healthcare professional and must not be left with the patient.
The Council is not responsible for collecting waste generated by healthcare professionals.
This service is for residential properties only.
What counts as clinical waste
Clinical waste is waste that may be infectious or harmful. Examples include:
- Blood or other bodily fluids
- Dialysis waste
- Medical dressings
- Syringes and needles (sharps)
What does not count as clinical waste
These items are hygiene waste. Put them in your general waste (double-bagged):
- Incontinence pads
- Stoma bags
- Nappies
- Menstrual items
Arrange a sharps box collection
- You may need a sharps box if you use syringes, lancets, or needles.
The local health authority provides the first sharps box. You can usually get this on prescription from your GP or pharmacist.
Put your sealed sharps box outside at the edge of your property the night before collection. Collections take place early in the morning and we will leave a new 2litre box if required.
Request a clinical waste bag collection
To have weekly clinical waste bag collection, ONLY your GP surgery, district nurse, hospital or NHS trust, using an NHS email address, can complete our online form on your behalf.
Any request not completed in this way will be disregarded.
On your first collection day, we will leave 2 clinical waste bags.
Request clinical waste bag collection
Put your clinical waste bags outside at the edge of your property the night before collection. Collections take place early in the morning.
After we collect your bags, the crew will replace the number of bags you used that week.
If you do not put any bags out for 3 weeks in a row, we will stop the collections.
If you are not sure which collection you need, ask your GP, nurse, or pharmacist for advice.
Find your collection day
Please refer to the postcode list below for your collection day:
- RG1 - Tuesday
- RG2 - Wednesday
- RG4 - Tuesday
- RG5 - Tuesday
- RG6 - Wednesday
- RG7 - Wednesday
- RG9 - Tuesday
- RG10 - Tuesday
- RG27 - Wednesday
- RG30 - Wednesday
- RG40 - Thursday
- RG41 5.. - Wednesday
- RG41 any other - Thursday
- RG42 - Thursday
- RG45 - Thursday
