To think leaving clinical waste bags out all week isn't really on?

[ZebraLovesKnitting]

We live at the end of a small, quiet cul-de-sac. Unfortunately our lovely next door neighbour has been rather ill. He has problems with his kidneys and as such has to do dialysis at home.

The waste from his dialysis goes into yellow clinical waste bags, which are then sealed closed. The problem is he then puts them outside his house onto the kerb, where they stay until they're collected. He put 3 there on Monday which are still there now.

AIBU to think that this really isn't safe? Children play in the cul-de-sac, my 4 year old even runs across to another neighbour all by himself, or the local cats or foxes could get into it.

I work in a hospital, and if I left a bag of clinical waste just in a corridor I'd be disciplined for misconduct! It's a health and safety issue.

Please don't misunderstand me, I know that the waste has to go somewhere, and I'm really not feeling angry or negative in any way towards my neighbour. I just don't think this system for disposal/collection of clinical waste is really very appropriate.

Surely there must be a better system than just leaving clinical waste bags sat on the pavement all week?

Yanbu. They should not be left out in the street all week, they should only be placed out on collection day.

I hope there is no infectious waste in them.

sounds rubbish

Clinical waste is supposed to go in locked bins, afaik, so no, having it on the street for days before the licenced collection is not appropriate.

Infectious waste has to go in red bags now. Clinical waste bags should be stored securely until collected.
Maybe a call to your council's Streetcare team might be in order.

I'd have a word with your neighbour before calling the authorities. Find out what he's been told to do - it may be he's fully aware of the collection schedule, but just doesn't want the bags in his home.

Or is he expecting them to be collected on the day he puts them out? Perhaps he doesn't go out much and isn't aware they aren't collected?

The complaint/notification of lack of collection would be better coming from him, not you.

I'm on clexane (injections) during pregnancy and when I rang the council to get the sharp bins collected they told me to leave them outside for the collection man, they couldn't say what day he would be round so potentially they could have sat there for ages. Perhaps it's the same with your neighbour?

Does he have a district nurse come to visit or any carers ? Could you nip out and have a "kindly concerned neighbour word" with them ?