Care Home Waste Management

Key requirements for care home waste management are:

Have a documented waste-management system

  • Identify the different waste streams produced.
  • Explain how waste is segregated, stored, collected and disposed of.
  • Staff responsible for waste should understand the segregation and storage requirements.

Segregate waste correctly

Typical streams include:

  • General/household waste
  • Recycling
  • Offensive/hygiene waste — e.g. nappies, incontinence pads
  • Infectious/clinical waste
  • Sharps
  • Medicines/pharmaceutical waste
  • Hazardous waste

Healthcare waste should be correctly classified and segregated at the point where it is produced, using the appropriate colour-coded bags or containers.

Sharps

  • Need to go immediately into suitable, approved sharps containers.
  • Containers should not be overfilled and must be securely closed before collection.

Medicines

  • Unwanted, expired or returned medicines must be kept separate from ordinary waste.
  • They should be handled through an appropriate pharmaceutical-waste disposal route.

Safe storage

Waste should be stored so that it:

  • Cannot escape or leak.
  • Cannot be accessed by residents or unauthorised people.
  • Does not create a pest, odour or infection risk.
  • Can be safely accessed by the waste contractor.

Use authorised waste contractors

Under the waste duty of care, a care home must take reasonable steps to ensure waste is transferred only to an appropriately authorised person and must accurately describe the waste being transferred.

Keep records

You should retain appropriate waste documentation, including waste transfer documentation and hazardous-waste records where applicable. Hazardous waste has additional requirements.

Infection prevention and control

Waste arrangements form part of the care home’s infection-prevention system. CQC specifically expects providers to have appropriate waste, cleaning and decontamination arrangements, and Regulation 12 requires providers to assess and control infection risks.

Important distinction

A residential care home that does not provide nursing care can have different healthcare-waste requirements from a nursing/residential home providing clinical interventions. The Environment Agency guidance specifically recognises this distinction.