# Clinical waste EWC codes 18 01 03* for infectious waste, 18 01 04 for offensive waste from healthcare.

> Clinical waste EWC codes: 18 01 03* for infectious waste, 18 01 04 for offensive waste, sharps and medicines, and where sanitary waste goes.
> Web page: https://complyonsite.com/tools/ewc-code-finder?waste=clinical-waste

- Free, no account
- Based on the UK List of Waste and GOV.UK healthcare waste guidance
- Nothing is stored

## Which EWC code for each type of healthcare waste?

| Waste | Code |
| --- | --- |
| Infectious waste, orange bag | 18 01 03* |
| Infectious waste with chemicals, yellow bag | 18 01 03* and 18 01 06* |
| Sharps with no medicines | 18 01 03* |
| Sharps with medicines | 18 01 03* and 18 01 09 |
| Sharps with cytotoxic or cytostatic medicines | 18 01 03* and 18 01 08* |
| Medicines | 18 01 09 |
| Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines | 18 01 08* |
| Offensive waste | 18 01 04 |

These are for human healthcare. Animal healthcare waste has its own codes in 18 02.

## Is offensive waste clinical waste?

No. Offensive waste isn’t infectious and holds no medicines or chemicals, though it may be unpleasant to handle. From healthcare it’s 18 01 04. Nappies, pads and other hygiene waste from other workplaces are 20 01 99. If you produce no more than 7 kg and one bag per collection, it can go in the [general waste](https://complyonsite.com/tools/ewc-code-finder?waste=general-waste) as 20 03 01.

## What EWC code for medicines returned to a pharmacy?

Medicines people hand back to a pharmacy are 20 01 31* if they’re cytotoxic or cytostatic, and 20 01 32 otherwise. Medicines from healthcare itself, such as a surgery or clinic, take the chapter 18 codes above instead: 18 01 08* or 18 01 09.

### Sources

- [List of Waste, as retained in UK law (legislation.gov.uk)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2000/532/annex)
- [GOV.UK, Healthcare and related wastes: how to classify](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-and-related-wastes-how-to-classify)
- [Environment Agency, WM3 waste classification guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-classification-technical-guidance)