East Street Dental Practice.

office (+44) 01258 452522

Waste Disposal.


 The 2005 Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations and the List of Wastes (England) Regulations apply to us.

As producers of non-domestic waste, we are required to sort our waste, store it safely and securely in an appropriate container and arrange for its disposal (Environmental Protection Act1990). We need to maintain records and have the relevant documentation available (transfer notes, for example are to be kept for 2 years.) to demonstrate compliance (Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991).

All waste from the practice is segregated into clinical and non-clinical waste. If waste is mixed indiscriminately the entire load will have to be regarded as clinical waste and disposed of by the more expensive hazardous waste disposal method. Clinical waste is waste that is contaminated with blood, saliva and other body fluids and may prove hazardous to any person coming into contact with it.

Clinical waste sacks (Orange bags) must be no more than three-quarters full, have the air gently squeezed out to avoid bursting when handled, be labelled and tied at the neck, not knotted. They are then stored in our locked outside shed prior to collection.

Sharps waste (needles and scalpel blades) are sealed in UN type approved puncture proof containers (to BS7320), which must be labelled before disposal. Sharps’ containers should be disposed of when no more than two-thirds full.

When waste is transferred, a written description of the waste must be transferred with it. We are required to add the appropriate European Waste Catalogue (EWC) code to the description of the waste on the Consignment (transfer) note. Consignment notes are used at each stage of the disposal process and signed at each transfer of the waste from source to disposal site. Consignment notices are kept for three years.

Prescribed medicines and waste classified as irritant, harmful, toxic, carcinogenic or corrosive are regarded as hazardous waste. Local anaesthetic solution is a prescribed medicine so partially discharged cartridges must be disposed of as hazardous waste.

Dental Amalgam can contain up to 50% mercury. Mercury has been identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as being the Number 1 environmental poison so ensuring that our waste amalgam is being transported and disposed of safely and legally is therefore of vital concern.
SRCL are authorised to collect it and a transfer note is completed with a written description of the waste. It is never sent through the post.

Water supplies are protected from contamination by backsiphonage (The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999).
The presence of blood and saliva in waste from the dental surgery requires the highest level of protection. Dental equipment is designed with an air gap for protection against backsiphonage includes the dental spittoon, the delivery system (the dental handpiece, three-in-one syringe and ultrasonic scaler).

As a result of tap water being stored in a bottles biofilms of microorganisms and their products can develop and contaminate the associated dental water lines. Aerosols of contaminated water can result in potentially hazardous situations, especially if the waterlines have become contaminated with Legionella. Practice policies on decontamination and disinfection of the bottled water system are followed closely

As a site that produces more than 200kgs of hazardous waste a year we are registered with the “Environment agency” as a producer of hazardous waste, our registration number is NAL992 we have to reregister annually. http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk




SRCL Ltd
Unit 8 Marshall Way
Commerce Park, Frome.
Somerset. BA11 2FE
0845 408 8850

a/c 9012128-002
&   9012128-001 (amalgam)

www.srcl.com/srcl-dental-waste.html