Medical Waste
Important!
Medical Waste
NO medical waste is acceptable in the Recycling (Blue Box) Program or our Hazardous and Electronic Waste Program. Medical waste inlcudes any kind of waste that contains infectious material (or material that’s potentially infectious).
Anything that comes in contact with a human or animal (living or deceased) would be considered medical waste.
What is Medical Waste?
This type of waste can be generated at:
- Body Art Parlours
- Clinical Laboratories
- Dental Offices
- Doctor Offices
- Funeral Homes
- Home Healthcare Organizations
- Hospitals
- Households
- Pharmaceutical Companies
- Retirement and Nursing Homes
- Safe Injection Sites
- Tattoo Parlours
- Veterinary Clinics/Hospitals
Where to Take Your Medical Waste
1. Prescription bottles
Make sure your bottle is empty and the label with your identifying information is removed or defaced. Some pharmacies will take back your empty bottles. Otherwise, they are garbage.
2. Medicine Bottles
Over the counter medicine bottles are recyclable if they are WHITE, EMPTY and CLEAN. Think Aspirin, Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen.
3. ‘Other’ Medicine Bottles
Bottles that contain liquids such as methadone, are NOT recyclable. These need to be returned to the facility you received them from. If you are a clinic or pharmacy, as an example, return them to your supplier. These are considered a hazard to recycling employees.
4. Needles, Sharps, Syringes and Epi-Pens
These should never go in your recycling. Designated Sharps Containers are available from your pharmacy for free and can be returned to your pharmacy when it’s full, at no cost.
5. Gauze, Tissues and Antibacterial Wipes
Because these contain bodily fluids, they cannot be recycled and need to be put into your garbage. Even clean, they are not a material that can be accepted by any recycling facility.
6. Vials and Urine Bottles
Whether these are made out of plastic or glass, they are not recyclable. Either return them to your medical professional or put them in the garbage.
7. Medical Tubing, Breathing Tubes, IV Tubes and Bags
100% garbage. They may seem like a recyclable material, but they are not.
8. Safe Injection Kits
These kits include rubber bands, dispensing tin (stericup), lighters, condoms and rubber gloves. None of these items are recyclable whether they are new or used. Please place these items in the garbage.
9. Leak Protection Products
These include child and adult diapers, pads and menstrual products. There is nothing recyclable about these materials. Always put in the garbage. There are cloth made alternatives that can be washed and reused.
10. Leftover Medication
Any medication that is unused should always be returned to your pharmacy. They shouldn’t be put into your recycling, garbage or flushed into the sewer system. They can also be taken to our Hazardous Waste Depot in Belleville.
11. Face Masks and Disposable Gloves
These belong in the garbage at all times.
Helpful Resources
- Check out this information sheet on ‘What To Do Next’ for accidental punctures.
- City of Quinte West – Medical Waste Exemption Program
- Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health
- Ministry of Health/Ministry of Long-Term Care
- Ontario College of Pharmacists
- Ontario Hospital Association
- The Management of Biomedical Waste In Ontario
- World Health Organization
