Clinical Waste
The Council provides a free clinical waste collection and disposal service for householders within the Borough.
What is Clinical Waste?
- Any waste which consists wholly 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.
- Any other waste arising from medical, nursing, dental, veterinary, pharmaceutical or similar practice, investigation, treatment, care, teaching or research, or in the collection of blood for transfusion.
Please ensure your clinical waste is collected appropriately and should never under any circumstances placed in the blue recycling bin.
Warning - Clinical Waste must never be placed in household waste sacks.
Yellow clinical waste bags and/or boxes or containers are supplied for the safe collection of waste.
Collections can be arranged on a weekly, fortnightly, monthly or as and when basis, depending on your requirements.
To request a collection, please contact Swale Borough Council Direct by phone on 01795 417850, or email: csc@swale.gov.uk
How to dispose of medical needles
From 21 May 2012, Swale Borough Council will be offering a new service to residents who require the disposal of clinical waste in sharps boxes. You will now be able to take your full sharps box to one of four pharmacies in Swale and be provided with a replacement box.
The four pharmacies working with the Council are:
Greenstreet Pharmacy
105 London Road, Teynham, ME9 9QL
A Carlisle Ltd.
14 Cross Lane, Faversham, ME13 8PN
Sheppey Hospital Pharmacy (Delmergate)
Sheppey Hospital, Plover Road, Minster, ME12 3LT
The Co-operative pharmacy
85-89 East Street, Sittingbourne, ME10 4BL
This service provides an alternative option to the existing clinical waste collections from your home. If you would like to use the pharmacy scheme, please call Swale Borough Council on 01795 417850 to register.
If you administer medicines yourself you are responsible for disposing of the needles that you use correctly and safely. If a healthcare professional is administering your medication, they should dispose of the clinical waste for you.
Never put needles or syringes into your household rubbish or recycling collection bags, bins or boxes as they could injure the people who collect and process the waste, or spoil the quality of the recycling material.
How to dispose of medical needles in Swale
Clinical waste collections can be arranged weekly, fortnightly, monthly or 'as and when' depending on your requirements. Collections have to be requested and can be arranged either by telephone or email.
Need to dispose of medical needles?
- A free collection service is available
- To request a collection call 01795 417850 or email csc@swale.gov.uk
- Collections can be arranged weekly, fortnightly or monthly or 'as and when' basis
- Swale District Council's contractor (Biffa Municipal) will collect from you on a specific day of the week and deliver a new sharps box on collection.
For more information:
Contact the Customer Services team.
Please note: Nursing Homes and medical establishments should arrange for this type of collection through their normal waste collection contractor.
Non-Medical Needles
If you have needles to dispose of that have been used for a non medical purpose, Kent drug services can help you. Please call:
KCA - 01795 590635
Areas covered: Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Faversham, Gravesham, Shepway, Sittingbourne and Thanet.
Turning Point - 01322 278916
Areas covered: Dartford, Isle of Sheppey, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Tunbridge Wells.
