Clinical waste

Clinical waste can be harmful and needs to be collected separately from the rest of your rubbish.

We collect clinical waste for free if you have been referred by your GP, hospital or district nurse.

Clinical waste includes:

• dressings
• needles
• swabs
• syringes with needles removed
• incontinence bags (catheters)
• stoma or colostomy bags
• stomach feeding tubes
• PEG needles and tubing used to pass food, liquids or medication directly into the stomach
• medical instruments
• cytostatic medication (used to slow down or stop cancer cells growing)
• cytotoxic medication (anti-cancer drugs often used during chemotherapy to kill cancer cells)

Syringes, needles and other sharp objects need to be placed in a yellow ‘sharps’ box to prevent injury to yourself or our crew. Sharps boxes are available from your GP or pharmacy. 

Where to get rid of items we do not collect

We do not collect drugs or tablets -  you can take these to a pharmacy instead. 

You can put the following items in your general waste bin:

• feeding tubes and liquid food
• food products issued by the NHS
• incontinence pads
• used nappies 
• latex gloves, overalls, face masks
• sanitary waste
• clothing
• linen from bedding

Request a collection

Request a clinical waste collection online 

or call environment customer services on 020 8825 6000

If you book:

• by 5pm on Monday, your clinical waste will be collected the following week
• between Tuesday and Friday, it will be collected 2 weeks later

Your collection day depends on your postcode:

Missed collection

If your clinical waste collection has been missed, please call 020 8825 6000.