We currently provide free collection services for clinical waste and sharps boxes in Ipswich. Both services are available to all Ipswich borough residents who self-administer medical treatment at home.
Clinical waste
This includes the safe collection and disposal of items that could be harmful to others such body fluid or other biological material (including swabs or dressings) containing or contaminated with pharmaceutical products or anything that may be infectious.
Clinical waste must not be placed in either normal household or recycling waste bins.
Waste that may be offensive in nature but has no identified risk of infection, such as hygiene waste and sanitary protection like nappies and incontinence pads, can be appropriately bagged and disposed of in normal household waste bins.
The request for a clinical waste collection should be requested by a medical profession/doctor/surgeon – once we have received the request we will contact you to set up your collection.
Sharps boxes
This includes the safe collection and disposal of sharps boxes that contain needles, syringes or other sharp instruments.
You are entitled to one collection per quarter (every 13 weeks) as part of the service and your collection will take place between 7:30am – 12pm on the allocated day, advised at the time of booking.
All sharps must be placed in a sharps box, available on prescription from your GP, the Council will not provide replacement sharps boxes.
Sharps and sharps boxes must not be placed in either normal household or recycling waste bins
Request a sharps box collection
Fill out the application form below to schedule your sharps box collection.
Note: The button below opens in a new window.
Sharps box collection FAQs
Why can I no longer take my full sharps box back to the pharmacy?
The NHS no longer provide this service. The responsibility for the collection of sharps boxes has been passed to local councils. Ipswich Borough Council provide a collection from your home, Monday Friday between 07:30-12pm. One collection per person/per household in each quarter (rolling 13 weeks period). Up to 4 per year.
How can I arrange a collection?
A collection can be requested via the Ipswich Borough Council website. www.ipswich.gov.uk/content/clinical-waste-collections You will need to login and provide your full contact details. Once this is done your details will be saved securely for you to use for future transactions. You will be allocated a collection day when booking. Bin collection days can be found at www.ipswich.gov.uk/bincollectiondays
Can I leave the box on the doorstep?
Yes, we do not require a signature for collection therefore please leave the yellow box outside for collection from 7.30am on your allocated collection date.
Will the council provide a replacement sharps box when collecting the full one?
A replacement sharps box is provided along with your prescribed medication by your pharmacy or health care team. The council will not provide replacements.
What if I miss the collection?
The collection driver will leave a yellow “missed collection” card at your home. There is an email address on the card for you to contact. We will need your email and/or phone number, so we can contact you to arrange another day for your collection to take place.
Can I put the sharps box in my wheelie bin?
Never place the sharps box or needles into any of your wheelie bins at home. Sharps need to have a special disposal treatment which is not part of your normal collection. If sharps are found in your wheelie bin the bin will not be collected until the box/sharps have been removed.
Further information
All records of collection are confidential, and all waste is taken to a special incinerator where it is destroyed.