Code of practice for clinical and related waste management

WA Health facilities are responsible for the handling and management of all their waste, including clinical and related waste, from the point of generation until the final point of safe disposal regardless of who may be contracted to provide that service.

The Code of Practice for Clinical and Related Waste Management (PDF 496KB) (Code) describes the minimum requirements to be adhered to by WA Health service providers to ensure clinical and related waste is segregated, stored, transported and disposed of in a manner that minimises the risk of public exposure to potentially contaminated material and minimises environmental impact. It applies to healthcare that is provided both within a facility and through healthcare at home programs.

The Code has been revised:

• to incorporate relevant elements from the superseded WA Health waste policies (ODs 0651/16, 0258/09, 0259/09, 0260/09, 0261/09) to create a single code outlining the health facility requirements for managing clinical and related waste; and
• to allow the use of new technologies and processes for waste management, including maceration/autoclave treatment, instead of incineration, of contaminated sharps, and the interstate transport of clinical waste for the purpose of incineration.