Waste management and clinical risk waste in facility services
From the 10 waste fractions to the hospital's special risk waste
As a service assistant you are often the one who empties sorts and disposes of waste. From 2023 common rules apply to how commercial companies must sort household-like waste and in hospitals and clinics a special type of waste comes on top: clinical risk waste.
§The 10 waste fractions
pages: articles, calculators, templates, techniques, materials, catalogue, quiz and education.
- 01PLACEHOLDER_3
- 02Paper and cardboard — separated into two fractions
- 03Glass and metal
- 04Plastic and food/beverage cartons
- 05Color matching.
§Clinical risk waste — a very special category
On hospitals, clinics, and in laboratories, a type of waste arises that does not exist on an ordinary workplace: clinical risk waste. It is a practical designation for waste where there is infection risk and where special consideration must therefore be given to the work environment and transportation. The waste is considered hazardous waste and is defined based on hazard criterion HP9 — infectious.
- 01Sharps and cutting objects — needles, knives, scissors, tweezers
- 02Textile waste
- 03Other infectious waste from treatment and care
§How it is handled
Clinical risk waste may not be landfilled and must be sorted at the source — that is, where it arises — and collected in suitable packaging, typically puncture-proof containers for sharps and cutting waste. As a service assistant your task is to know the difference between ordinary waste and clinical risk waste, never mix them and always follow the department's instructions for where the special containers are changed and delivered.
§Color and structure must be matched carefully so the transition between own hair and loose piece isn't visible.
Beyond clinical hazardous waste, you encounter hazardous waste in the more common sense: empty chemical drums, batteries, fluorescent tubes and paint residue. It must be kept separate from ordinary waste and disposed of according to the instructions on the safety data sheet or the workplace's waste plan — never in general waste.
§Your share of responsibility
Good waste management is not just environmentally sound — it is safety for you and your colleagues. Know your workplace's waste management plan, sort correctly from the start, and be particularly aware where there is clinical waste or other hazardous waste. It is a small part of everyday life that has great significance.
“Waste properly sorted from the start is both environmentally correct and a safety measure for everyone who handles it afterwards.”
— Professional basic rule on waste.