Location of internal bins

The key requirement of the law is that household like waste is presented separately for collection to your waste collector. There is no prescribed way of how to collect the materials before being presented separately for collection. However, it is recognised best practice to provide separate containers / bins for each recyclable waste stream that is produced by a workplace because it will make it easier to be compliant. In some circumstances, this will not be practical, and you may consider conducting a second sort of materials before they are presented for collection, for example dry recyclables like plastic and cardboard could be collected together in a clinical area and then separated when presenting for collection

Hospitals have many different buildings and departments producing different quantities and types of waste.

Each location will have to consider the best solution for their circumstances. Options include;

• Check number and types of bins – are they appropriate for the wastes being generated in that location?

• Consider what materials are generated and ensure you provide sufficient capacity and emptying schedules i.e. unlikely to need glass recycling bins in patient areas

• Providing sets of recycling bins together, or recycling stations, in communal locations such as corridors, near lifts, staff kitchens etc for staff, patients and visitors to use. Always consider fire safety and critical pathways.

• Keep any clinical waste bins away from recycling or general waste bins to reduce contamination.

• Recycling stations with a backboard or signs showing what to place in each bin helps. It also ensures that bins stay together.

• By keeping sets of bins together and avoiding moving individual bins away from one another will avoid contamination and the incorrect bins being used

• Always include a general waste bin with recycling containers to limit contamination.

• Avoid using single, stand-alone general waste bins. Where general waste bins are placed alone they are often used for recyclable materials as well. Ensuring you avoid these means that valuable recyclables will not end up in the general waste stream.

• Ensure bins and signage are consistent across the site to help people understand which bin to use

• On signs highlight materials that are known contaminants, e.g. coffee cups and ensure they are included in signs on the correct bin

• Where there is limited space consider;

  • a space saving container solution such as compact multi compartment bins or stackable recycling bin

  • a two-container solution– one for non-recyclable waste and one for clean and empty recyclable waste –this may require further sorting depending on the range of recyclable waste being collected (as you might do with the waste placed in the bin in your bedroom or bathroom at home.)

• Where there are concerns that bins placed in locations might be used inappropriately, provide containers in locations only accessible by staff (with waste generated by patients such as packaging being collected and sorted throughout the day instead).