Overview
The requirements for the management of healthcare waste are described fully in the guidance HTM 07-01: Safe and sustainable management of healthcare waste, which includes sector-specific guidance for organisations that produce healthcare waste, including dental practices.
As a producer of healthcare waste, you have a duty of care to ensure all healthcare waste is managed and disposed of properly by:
Correctly segregating the waste and storing it safely and securely
Packaging it appropriately for transport and describing it accurately and fully on the accompanying documentation
Transferring it to an authorised person for onward transport to an authorised waste site
Registering (where necessary) as a producer of hazardous waste and maintaining the necessary records and returns.
Dental practices generate a range of waste types, including infectious waste, offensive waste, sharps, pharmaceutical waste, amalgam waste, and general waste. Each waste stream is subject to different handling, storage, and disposal requirements. Correct classification and segregation are essential to ensure compliance with legal requirements, protect those handling the waste and minimise environmental impact.
Effective healthcare waste management forms an important part of a practice’s wider health and safety and infection prevention and control arrangements. Poor waste management can increase the risk of injury, contamination, and environmental harm, while incorrect segregation may result in unnecessary disposal costs and regulatory concerns.
All members of the dental team should understand their responsibilities for the safe handling of waste and receive appropriate training relevant to their role. Clear procedures should be in place to support the storage, transfer and collection of waste, and practices should regularly review their arrangements to ensure that they remain effective and compliant.
If you work in a hospital or community setting, you should follow local arrangements for the management of healthcare waste.
This guidance explains how healthcare waste should be classified, segregated, stored and transferred within a dental practice. It also outlines the documentation, policies, and practical measures needed to support safe and compliant healthcare waste management.
