Dental Waste Disposal & Collection
Business Waste arranges dental waste disposal and collections for dental practices, clinics and surgeries across the UK.
We can provide containers and collections for sharps, infectious and offensive healthcare waste, medicines, dental amalgam, gypsum and other agreed specialist streams, alongside routine recycling and residual waste.
Tell us the treatments carried out at your practice, the waste streams produced and your postcode, and we’ll help confirm suitable containers and collection requirements.
Collections last 7 days
Get your free quote
Get a quote for dental waste disposal
- Free quote within 1 hour
- Clinical, sharps and amalgam waste collections
- Containers matched to each dental waste stream
- Correct waste paperwork included
From local businesses to household names
Waste services for dental practices
We’ll build your services around the scope of your dental practice, taking into account the treatments you offer and the waste that arises. This can include:
- Dental clinical waste disposal for infectious and other correctly classified healthcare waste.
- Sharps collections for needles, syringes, scalpel blades and other agreed sharps.
- Dental amalgam waste collections using appropriate rigid containers for mercury-containing waste.
- Medicine, chemical and X-ray waste collections where these streams are produced.
- Routine workplace waste and recycling from reception, offices, staff areas and other non-clinical parts of the practice.
- Routine and agreed specialist dental waste managed through one account, reducing the need to arrange separate suppliers for individual streams.
- The appropriate waste transfer note or consignment documentation provided according to the waste classification.
Dental clinical waste disposal
Dental clinical waste must be classified according to the risk it presents. Infectious waste, sharps, medicines, amalgam and non-infectious offensive healthcare waste don’t all use the same container or treatment route.
We can arrange dental clinic waste disposal for the healthcare streams your practice produces, alongside its ordinary commercial waste and recycling.
When comparing dental waste disposal companies, check that they can provide the appropriate containers, registered collection arrangements and paperwork for the specialist streams your practice produces.
How does dental waste collection work?
-
1. Tell us about your practice
Provide the treatments carried out, main waste streams, average volumes and postcode.
-
2. We confirm suitable containers
Different containers are required for sharps, amalgam, infectious waste, offensive waste, medicines and other agreed streams.
-
3. Separate and store each stream
Put waste into the correct labelled container and keep specialist waste securely stored before collection.
-
4. We arrange collection
Registered waste carriers remove the agreed streams and transfer them to authorised facilities.
-
5. Keep the correct documentation
Waste transfer information or hazardous waste consignment documentation is used according to the classification.
Dental waste bins, bags, and containers
We can provide a range of free dental waste bins, bags, and containers to safely and securely store clinical, amalgam, and other waste in your practice. Use the appropriate bins and then pay for collection to arrange proper disposal of all your dental waste.
Discover some common waste bins, bags, and containers used in dental practices.
-
Dental (amalgam) waste bins
White clinical waste bins to store waste amalgam, grindings, capsules, and packaging containing residues.
-
Sharps bins
Available in different colours to separate and store contaminated needles, scalpels, and syringes.
-
Infectious clinical waste bags
For soft dental waste presenting an infection risk where there is no chemical or pharmaceutical contamination.
Case study: Bramley dental practice
We support Bramley Dental, an established NHS and private dental practice in Rotherham, with confidential waste and cleaning contractor collections. We’re also expanding our services to cover clinical waste, sharps, dental amalgam and everyday commercial waste across its seven treatment surgeries. This will bring more of the practice’s waste requirements under one provider, simplifying collections and compliance.
Read Our Customer Reviews
Efficient communication
We have worked alongside Business Waste for quite a few months now, and their efficiency with communication and resolving queries is great. Allie especially is a pleasure to liaise with. Great company from a B2B perspective
Flo Bolton-Smith
The real definition of service
The service received was simply outstanding. Business Waste gave good advice and a demonstration of a willingness to help and get me a solution.
Gregory Harrand
Great company
Great company to deal with, special thanks to Danielle who is always on the ball and sort any issues out instantly with proactive involvement with follow up phone calls and emails. I would recommend her to be the next PM to get things done, oh and as a company to deal with all the waste needs for your business.
Top Deals Online
Excellent service set up process
I was impressed by the speed of setting up the service. I made a single phone call to Business Waste and all the necessary paperwork was done efficiently.
Yahya Saeed
What waste do dental practices produce?
Dental waste is any form of waste produced by a dental facility. This includes standard waste streams such as general waste and dry mixed recycling, as well as specialist waste streams like clinical waste, amalgam waste and hazardous waste.
We can arrange compliant collection and disposal services for the following types of common dental waste:
- Infectious clinical waste
- Non-infectious offensive healthcare waste
- Sharps
- Dental amalgam
- Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines
- Other waste medicines
- Dental gypsum
- X-ray fixer, developer and film, where your practice produces them
- Lead foils
- Chemical waste
- Routine food waste and recycling
- General waste
- WEEE and batteries, if relevant
Dental clinical waste and dental amalgam waste
Dental clinical waste
Clinical dental waste can be hazardous and therefore harmful to people or the environment. Examples of dental clinical waste include:
- Human tissue
- Blood
- Swabs
- Dressings
- Sharps, such as scalpels and needles
- Pharmaceutical products
Dental amalgam waste
Dental amalgam waste is any waste that may contain amalgam. This can be incredibly harmful to humans because of the mercury it contains. It usually needs to be placed inside a container with a mercury suppressant. A fully authorised and credible waste management company must always handle and collect amalgam waste.
Dental facilities where amalgam is used, or existing amalgam fillings are removed, must use amalgam separators. All separators in use must retain at least 95% of amalgam particles.
Dental amalgam use is being phased down, but existing waste controls still apply where amalgam is used or removed.
Dental waste disposal guidelines
Colour-coded clinical waste bins and bags can help to separate and store the medical waste your dental practice produces. These are:
- Dental (amalgam) waste – white clinical waste bins
- Anatomical waste – red clinical waste bags
- Offensive healthcare waste – yellow and black clinical waste bags
- Cytotoxic and cytostatic waste – purple waste bags
- Infectious waste (chemically contaminated) – yellow clinical waste bags
- Clinical infectious waste (no chemical contamination) – orange clinical waste bags
All dental amalgam waste should stay in a specialist dental container with a mercury suppressant. This reduces the risk of harm to your dental team from the mercury vapours. Dental practices also need an amalgam separator installed to capture any amalgam particulates in wastewater.
In the UK, the Department of Health has guidelines for the safe management of healthcare waste that apply to dentists. Failure to safely store, remove, and dispose of any dental waste could result in fines for your practice. Speak to our team to ensure your business remains compliant.
Dental waste EWC codes
Dental practices must classify waste correctly before collection, so the right container, paperwork, and disposal route can be used.
Common dental waste EWC codes include:
- 18 01 01 for certain non-infectious sharps
- 18 01 03* for infectious clinical waste
- 18 01 04 for non-infectious offensive healthcare waste
- 18 01 08* for cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines
- 18 01 09 for other medicines
- 18 01 10* for dental amalgam waste
- 18 01 04 for non-infectious gypsum
- 18 01 03* for infectious gypsum
Note: An asterisk means the waste is hazardous.
We help dental practices arrange the appropriate containers, registered waste carriers and the required paperwork. This is important for dental practice owners, as the Environment Agency advises getting specialist advice if you are unsure which code applies.
Dental waste FAQs
-
What is special waste in dentistry?
Special waste in dentistry is waste that may cause contagion or infection. This type of waste is usually deemed to be hazardous and should only be collected and disposed of by an authorised company. The most obvious risk that may come from special waste in dentistry is the spread of infectious diseases such as HIV or TB.
-
What waste goes in a yellow bag?
Yellow bags are used for infectious waste and contain items that need to be incinerated. This could include teeth, teeth with fillings, medicines and anaesthetics, used or unused syringes, as well as highly infectious waste such as infected blood. Yellow bags must only be used for high-risk waste and must be collected and disposed of on a frequent basis.
-
What is gypsum dental waste?
Gypsum is a material commonly used to make dental moulds. Gypsum dental waste is therefore used, damaged, contaminated, or unusable moulds that require disposal. Non-infectious gypsum waste can be incinerated or sometimes recovered. Gypsum dental waste cannot go to landfill as it may biodegrade and release toxins that are harmful to human and environmental health.
-
How do dentists dispose of teeth?
Teeth that don’t contain amalgam can be disposed of in a sharps bin. Before disposal they should be treated with appropriate chemicals and disinfectants to ensure any teeth are safe for handling. Teeth that contain amalgam can be disposed of in a white dental amalgam bin, which will be sent for appropriate treatment and disposal.
Get your free quote
Get a quote for dental waste disposal
- Free quote within 1 hour
- Clinical, sharps and amalgam waste collections
- Containers matched to each dental waste stream
- Correct waste paperwork included
Published 12th April 2022 by Mark Hall. Last modified 30th October 2026