Clinical waste must be disposed of safely to prevent infection spread.
We offer a free weekly domestic clinical waste (hazardous waste and sharps) collection service to Oxford residents.
We collect:
- wound dressings, bandages and swabs - we collect these in orange sacks
- needles and syringes - we collect these in yellow sharps boxes which your healthcare provider supplies
Nappies, incontinence pads, and sanitary items are non-hazardous. You must bag them and put them in your general waste bin.
We don't collect any cytostatic and cytotoxic waste as we're unable to dispose of it. This type of waste is usually placed in purple containers or containers with purple lids and must be collected by the NHS.
How to apply for clinical waste collections
The steps to apply for a clinical waste collection are:
- download, print and fill in the Clinical waste application form (or share the link with your healthcare professional)
- your healthcare professional must sign off the application and send it to the email address on this page
- your application will be processed by one of our recycling officers
Households using this service are reviewed yearly.
Oxford City Council doesn't offer this service for commercial properties.
Contact us about Recycling and Waste
Oxford Direct Services (ODS) provides recycling and waste services on behalf of Oxford City Council. These webpages reflect the collection policies agreed. If you're unable to use our online services or can't find the information you need you can email the recycling and waste team.
