Clinical waste is any waste resulting from medical, nursing, dental, pharmaceutical, skin penetration or other related clinical activity that has the potential to cause injury, infection or offense.

It includes waste containing:

  • human tissue (other than hair, teeth and nails)
  • body fluids or blood
  • visibly blood-stained body fluids, materials or equipment
  • laboratory specimens or cultures
  • animal tissue, carcasses or other waste from animals used for medical research.

Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, clinical waste does not include any waste that has been treated by a method approved in writing by the Secretary of NSW Health.

Treated clinical waste no longer has the properties of clinical waste and can be re-classified for waste regulatory purposes. That is, the waste is no longer injurious, infectious or able to give rise to offence. The approval for clinical waste treatment is separate to any license issued under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.

Current as at: Wednesday 22 December 2021
Contact page owner: Environmental Health