Clinical waste and sharps collection
We offer a free collection service for both clinical waste and sharps from domestic properties in West Northamptonshire.
Sharps
Please do not place needles or injection pens from self-injected medication in your general waste or recycling bins.
You can request a free sharps collection for needles and syringes. These must be placed in a sharps box provided by your GP or healthcare provider.
Sharps collection times
Sharps collections need to be pre-booked and operate on the following days:
- Daventry and South Northants areas: Tuesday
- Northampton area: Monday and Friday
If the sharps waste is found to be contaminated with other types of waste it will not be collected.
Request a sharps collection
Clinical Waste
Clinical waste is either classed as Hygiene waste or Clinical waste.
Hygiene waste such as sanitary towels, nappies and incontinence pads are not considered to be hazardous when they originate from a healthy population and can be disposed of in your general waste bin (black lid).
Examples of non-infectious hygiene waste, unless told otherwise by your healthcare practitioner, include:
- Urinary catheter bags/tubes and stoma bags (drained)
- Wound dressings (non-infectious)
- Soiled bedding (vomit, human waste)
- Sanitary waste
- Nappies
- Plasters
- Incontinence pads
- Bed pan and bed pan liners
- Home dialysis tubing
If this creates additional waste and you cannot fit this in your current rubbish bin, you may be eligible for additional capacity. If this situation applies to your household, please contact us. We may have to visit you to see if you qualify.
Clinical waste is waste which poses a threat of infection to humans.
Examples include:
- Infected wound/ulcer care
- Soiled bandages from infectious diseases or wounds
- Peritoneal dialysis
- Dialysate bags and/or sets
- Haemodialysis
- Cannulas
Please note that if the waste is produced as part of the work conducted by your District Nurse it should be disposed by the healthcare practitioner.
To request a clinical waste collection please call 0300 126 7000 - please note your healthcare practitioner will be asked to confirm that your waste is classed as infectious.
Last updated 17 August 2026