Rolling out offensive waste collections across CHP buildings

The offensive waste stream is currently being rolled out, following Pre-Acceptance waste audits that have been carried out at some of the buildings.  Some CHP buildings haven’t had a Pre-Acceptance audit yet.  If you feel that the offensive waste stream is appropriate for your service and you would like to get this waste stream in place soon, please contact your Operation and Relationships Manager for your building.

How CHP tenants can help?

Please ensure waste is being segregated into the correct bag and is NOT BEING MIXED. 
Please share the key information with your colleagues.

Waste Management Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Please check the latest rules around waste management. This updated version takes account of the Vaccination Programme: www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/publication/covid-19-waste-management-standard-operating-procedure/ 

In particular, please note the differences between INFECTIOUS waste (which should go into orange bags) and OFFENSIVE waste (which should go into yellow/black striped tiger bags) and which types of waste should be placed in black domestic waste bags and recycling bags.

What should I dispose of where?

Here is a summary of some key issues and clarification about what waste goes into which type of waste bin.

Healthcare Waste:

• Infectious (orange clinical waste bag); anything which is used in the treatment of a patient who is known to be infectious or reliably believed to be infectious (displaying symptoms) which becomes contaminated with an infectious substance, such as bodily fluids.
• Non-infectious (offensive tiger waste bag); anything used in the treatment of a patient that has been in contact with a patient or become contaminated with a substance such as bodily fluids from a patient, that is NOT infectious, or you have no reason to suspect the patient is infectious.

Infectious clinical waste, including Covid-19 PPE

Please use the orange bags for infectious clinical waste only.

These orange clinical waste bags should NOT be placed in non-clinical areas such as corridors, entrances, staff rooms, kitchens or offices, etc.

Vaccination centres

Any patients going to vaccinations centres should have been screened, answered questions about Covid symptoms and had temperature checked. If a patient has any Covid symptoms they should NOT enter the vaccination centre.

All patients attending for vaccination should be treated as non-infectious, so the offensive waste stream is used to dispose of any waste materials.

Please put ORANGE INFECTIOUS waste bins ONLY in areas producing infectious clinical waste areas, such as treatment areas and some utility rooms.

Non-infectious clinical waste, including face masks in non-infectious

The yellow and black striped bags should be used for non-infectious waste, e.g. PPE, couch roll, dressings, plasters, bandages, nappies, feminine hygiene products etc.

General waste and recycling

Cardboard, paper, plastic bottles, metal tins & cans should be disposed of in the clear bag DMR waste stream (recycling waste bins) where available.

Paper towels and any items contaminated with food and not listed above for recycling should be put in a domestic black bag bin.

Please DO NOT put any of these waste items into a clinical bag.

How do I dispose of my facemask?

Waiting Areas, Corridors (Patient accessible areas)

Masks and face coverings worn by patients, visitors and non-clinical staff who have entered a clinical area should be discarded in the offensive waste bin if no longer required. They are NOT considered to be infectious waste so please don’t put them in the orange (infectious waste) bins.

Masks should NOT be disposed of in clear recycling bags or black domestic waste bags.

However, If the offensive waste stream (tiger bags – yellow/black stripes) is NOT available on your site yet please use the orange infectious waste stream.

If you would like to implement the offensive waste stream for your service to fully comply with the current Covid-19 Waste Management SOP, please contact your ORM.

Non-clinical areas (Admin, offices, meeting rooms)

Most non-clinical staff working in a CHP building would pass through clinical areas, clinical corridors or reception/waiting area space in the course of their working day, so their face masks should be disposed of in the offensive waste bins.

Only when an area such as admin space can be accessed WITHOUT passing through waiting areas or clinical corridors, can face masks be placed into the black bag domestic waste stream.

Given the layout of most CHP buildings, this is not possible at most sites.

Clinical Areas (Rooms used for patient care)

In clinical areas providing their standard healthcare service, face masks and other healthcare waste involved in the treatment of patients should dispose of this waste according to the status of the patient being treated and contamination related to treatment.

For a known infectious patient or suspected infectious patient (displaying symptoms, or with an infectious condition) please use the orange infectious waste stream.

For a non-infectious patient (no reason to suspect infectious, not treating an infectious condition) please use the offensive tiger waste stream.

COVID wards/areas

In direct COVID-19 ward areas, all PPE, including facemasks, should be disposed of in orange (infectious) waste bags.

All waste produced in the immediate Covid-19 treatment area/room should be disposed of in the orange infectious waste stream (All PPE and treatment waste, leftover food from patient meals etc)

Any item such as outer packaging should be removed before entering the Covid-19 treatment area allowing the waste to be placed into the black bag domestic waste stream.

Download: COVID hot hubs orange waste bags poster March 2021.pdf 

COVID hot hubs

All waste produced in the immediate Covid-19 treatment area/room should be disposed of in the orange infectious waste stream.  This is all PPE and treatment waste from suspected or known infectious patients.

Any item such as outer packaging should be removed before entering the Covid-19 treatment area allowing the waste to be placed into the black bag domestic waste stream.

Patients and Visitors

Masks and face coverings worn by patients, visitors and non-clinical staff who have entered a clinical area should be discarded in the offensive waste stream (tiger – yellow and black) if they are no longer required. These masks are NOT considered infectious clinical waste. These masks should NOT be disposed of in the black domestic waste stream.

Download: A4 Landscape 10 types of Waste poster CHP – March 2021

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If the offensive waste stream is NOT AVAILABLE ON your site yet, please use the ORANGE INFECTIOUS WASTE stream. This is to ensure all healthcare waste is kept segregated from the domestic waste stream.

If you would like to implement the offensive waste stream for your service to fully comply with the current Covid-19 Waste Management SOP please contact your ORM.

How can CHP help?

If you have any queries regarding waste in your building, please contact your Operations & Relationship Manager in the first instance.

We have an in-house waste specialist, James Kevan, who can attend Building User Group (BUG) meetings to give additional information and advice.

Please contact your Operations & Relationship Manager to request James attends a meeting.

SoftFM Helpdesk

The CHP SoftFM Helpdesk provides a central number for tenants and Tenant Liaison Managers (TLMs) to log  Soft FM jobs unless your building has local arrangements. 

The number is 0161 868 9512 or email:  Helpdesk.CHP@OCS.com

The Helpdesk provides a single access number to log jobs, which will then be passed on to the relevant contractor for the individual building. It can be accessed at any time 24/7. https://communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk/soft-fm-helpdesk/

Download documents

A4 Landscape 10 types of Waste poster CHP – March 2021
A3 Landscape COVID hot hubs Orange Poster CHP – March 2021
A5 stickers Infectious orange + Non infectious yellow black CHP March 2021

If you require more copies of these encapsulated posters or bin stickers, please contact your ORM, as we have a supply in stock.

16 May 2021