Mochdre man told to dispose of dressings with his ‘normal rubbish’

Steven McDermott, 50, had an abscess removed at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan on March 28, and is now having dressings changed daily for an indefinite period following the operation.

He said that he was told by a council representative to “double-bag the dressings and put them in my black bin,” but Mr McDermott fears this could contaminate his other waste.

As such, he said, the risk of infection will be heightened.

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Mr McDermott said: “It's clinical and surgical waste, which should be kept separate and incinerated, as it has infection on them.

“If a bag breaks, that infection could be passed on to whoever picks it up. It shouldn’t be kept with household waste.

“I want the council to provide a specific bin for clinical waste, and then incinerate it, so that it’s not going to impinge on any other waste. It’s quite dangerous just to throw it in your normal bin bag.

“It specifically has to be destroyed so that it’s not contaminating anything. Even double-bagging it isn’t going to give it enough protection.”

In response, Conwy County Borough Council said a specialist waste collection can be arranged via Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

A council spokesperson said: “As a council, we do not collect clinical waste from infectious sources and we do not accept it in our household bins.

“Infectious waste needs a specialist clinical waste collection, which can be arranged with the health board via a community nurse.

“These sort of collections are for items like dressings where there is an infection.

“Non-hazardous healthcare waste, such as outer dressings, gloves and absorbent pads from non-infectious sources, can be double-bagged and disposed of in the black bin.

“General waste in the black bin is incinerated.”