Storage of Clinical Waste for Small Producers

Waste producers should provide suitable area for temporary storage of clinical waste on the premises from which the waste is generated. A waste producer should not remove any clinical waste from his premises to another place for storage.

Storage area for clinical waste should be designed to prevent unauthorized access and to maintain proper sanitary conditions free of pests and vermin. There should be impermeable sills in the area to contain any leakage or spillage of waste. The area should be adequately ventilated and dedicated for storage of clinical waste only. An example of a small clinical waste storage cupboard is provided in Figure 2.

Prolonged storage of clinical waste on the premises should be avoided. Group 3 waste (Human and Animal Tissues) should be stored under refrigeration to prevent nuisance such as obnoxious odour. Storage of such waste in a preservative agent may also be used. In such circumstances, both the waste and the preservative agent should be disposed of as chemical waste in accordance with the Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation. Group 4 waste (Infectious Materials), if any, should be collected for disposal as soon as practicable.

Figure 2: Schematic Drawing of a Clinical Waste Storage Cupboard