Electrical, clinical and hazardous waste
Electrical waste
These are any items which use electricity – including both mains and battery powered. Many electrical and electronic items contain small quantities of materials which are hazardous, and valuable materials such as precious metals. Electrical and electronic items must not be thrown away in the rubbish or recycling bins at home.
Reduce: Where possible, try to get your broken electrical items repaired.
Reuse: Offer electrical items in good condition and full working order through:
- charity shops (Charity Retail Association - Find a charity shop)
- online reuse network or market
- car boot or jumble sale
- friends, neighbours or relatives (such as 're-gift' unwanted gifts next Christmas)
- Mildenhall Recycling Centre takes small Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) for testing and re-use (run by Crack On charity)
- Suffolk recycles - Recycling centres at Bury St Edmunds, and Foxhall, Ipswich – the items are collected from the recycling centres, tested and then sold at The Benjamin Foundation reuse shop at Bury St Edmunds and Foxhall Recycling centres
Recycle:
- check whether your retailer has a take back scheme
- if they are beyond repair, please take them to any of the Suffolk recycles - Recycling centres and place in the recycling container for small electrical items where they will be recycled
- in some areas there may be more local drop off points for small electrical items, see Recycle Now - Find a recycling facility to search for your nearest location.
Alternatively, for a fee we can collect and dispose of large electrical items such as fridges or washing machines as part of our Bulky household waste collection service.
For more information on the best way to deal with waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) look at our Suffolk recycles - What to do with? (A-Z)
Clinical waste
Clinical waste is anything that poses a threat to others because there is a risk of infection. We provide a free clinical waste collection service for households in the area. If you need this service you will need to ask for approval by your healthcare professional. After you have approval, contact us to organise the service.
Sharps disposal
A sharps bin is a specially designed rigid box with a lid that's available on prescription (FP10 prescription form) that can be dispensed, along with your medication.
You can hand over a full sharps bins at any of these pharmacies:
- Croasdales Pharmacy, 1 The Traverse, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1BE
- Haverhill Pharmacy, Camps Road, Haverhill CB9 8HF
- Lords Pharmacy, Unit 61, The Guineas Shopping Centre, Newmarket, CB8 8EQ
Please make sure that the sharps bins are filled to the level line before taking them to the pharmacy.
If you want to pick up a new sharps bin when you handover your full one you will need to have your prescription for a sharps bin with you.
Hazardous waste and asbestos
Hazardous waste is anything that is harmful to health or the environment; this could include pesticides, animal poison, paint or asbestos. Household recycling centres will accept some types of hazardous waste, for details see: Suffolk recycles - Hazardous waste.
Asbestos should only be removed by a professional. Small amounts of lower risk asbestos which is found in sheeting, down pipes, ironing boards and water tanks can be collected. To dispose of bigger amounts you will need to use a contractor. You can check them against the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) register to ensure that they are registered.
Hazardous waste and asbestos collections must be booked directly with the Suffolk County Council contractor, Biffa. Residents can no longer contact West Suffolk Council to arrange their collection of hazardous waste. For more information and to book a collection visit: Suffolk County Council - Hazardous waste collection service.
Paint
Paint should be dried out before being disposed of. You can do this by mixing liquid paint with sawdust or soil, once the paint is dried you can put it in your black bin for collection. Dried out paint can also be taken to one of the 11 Suffolk recycles - Recycling centres in the area, liquid paint is not accepted. Or residents can use the hazardous waste collection service through the Suffolk County Council - Hazardous and waste collection service webpage. Residents can no longer contact West Suffolk Council to arrange their collection of paint.