Offensive waste is the stream most businesses underuse. A large share of the waste produced in care homes, GP surgeries and beauty and aesthetics clinics has no known infection risk, but often ends up in orange or yellow bags out of habit or caution. Moving it into tiger bags is fully compliant when the assessment supports it, and because offensive waste is non-hazardous, it is usually much cheaper to deal with.
Offensive waste must still be kept apart from general waste. It cannot go in the normal black bag or recycling bins, it needs a waste transfer note rather than a consignment note, and it goes for energy recovery or landfill rather than clinical treatment. In healthcare settings it is usually coded 18 01 04. We supply tiger bags and bins, set collection frequency around your volumes and provide an annual or per-collection transfer note.
What is included
- Yellow-and-black tiger bags in the right sizes
- Lockable wheeled bins for secure storage
- Clear guidance for staff on what is and is not offensive waste
- Scheduled collections to suit your volumes
- Correct waste codes for your setting
- Waste transfer note, annual or per collection
- Energy recovery or landfill by the appropriate route
- Review of your infectious waste to find items that could move to offensive
Who it is for
- Care homes producing large volumes of incontinence pads
- GP surgeries and clinics with lots of gloves, aprons and couch roll
- Beauty, aesthetics and tattoo studios
- Physiotherapy, chiropody and massage clinics
- Nurseries and schools with nappy and hygiene waste
- Any business currently putting low-risk waste in infectious bags
How much does it cost?
As a guide, offensive waste in the UK typically costs £5 to £30 per bag or bin lift, which is usually well below the cost of sending the same waste down the infectious route. See our full cost guide.