The health waste generated by activities of health attention and research must be selected at origin in order to facilitate their later treatment. They are classified into the following groups:

a) Waste without risk or unspecified:
group I.
This is waste the nature or composition of which is inert and which pose no special demands concerning its management. This group includes materials from offices, bars, dining rooms, gardens .

group II.
This is waste the nature or composition of which is inert and which pose no special demands concerning its management out of the centre, but which in the centre might be a risk to the sick with low defences and also cause certain upset. This group includes materials for healing, plasters, clothes and materials of a single use and stained with blood, secretions and other waste not included in group III.

b) Waste with risk or specific:
group III.
This is special waste that requires the adoption of prevention measures, given that they might generate a risk to public health:

• infectious heath waste: waste capable of transmitting some of the infectious illnesses listed in the annexe to Decree 27/1999, such as, for instance: cholera, diphtheria, anthrax, tuberculosis .
• blood and haemoderivatives in liquid form
• needles and sharp, cutting material, used
• live and attenuated vaccines
• cultures and reserves of infectious agents

group IV.
This is special waste not included in group III
This group includes waste typified in singular regulations such as expired medicines, remains of chemical substances, radioactive waste and others; it also includes cytotoxic waste (containers, materials, remains. that have been in contact with medicines in the treatment of cancer)

Companies that perform collection and transport operations of health waste in groups III and IV (except for radioactive waste) must be authorised by the Agència de Residus de Catalunya. To obtain authorisation, the standard application must be presented and the following documentation must be sent for each vehicle: - vehicle inspection card (vehicle technical sheet), - deposit slip for the Caixa General de Dipòsits of the Generalitat, Government of Catalonia, guaranteeing that the required bond has been deposited for each vehicle. The loading area of the vehicles must be impermeable to water and defined by smooth surfaces that are washable and easy to disinfect, and their structure and enclosure must prevent their contents from being spilt.

To avoid the danger of pollution of the environment and to prevent the contagion of infectious diseases that are a risk to public health.

• The waste in groups I and II, once out of the health centre, are treated as waste assimilable to municipal waste and therefore go to the municipal waste disposal units.
• The waste in group III is treated by sterilisation by autoclave and is then milled.

The sterilisation consists of eliminating all living organisms and the spores capable of reproducing them that might be present in the waste. By autoclave treatment, the waste is submitted through water steam to sufficient temperature and pressure conditions to cause its sterilisation.

Once sterilised and milled, this waste is assimilable to municipal waste.

• The cytotoxic waste in group IV is treated by incineration in facilities for special waste.

The Catalogue of Waste in Catalonia is a management tool in which the information is particularised that is needed for correct management of the waste that is generated.

Consult Catalogue

The waste in groups I and II is considered, outside the centre where it is produced, municipal waste and the town hall or the corresponding municipal body will ensure the correct management of this waste outside the centre, with the exception of animals used for experimentation, which will be dealt with according to their acceptance and follow-up sheets, which are provided and validated in the Agència de Residus de Catalunya. This implies a direct relationship between the producer centre, the carrier and the treatment company, and therefore the subsidiary responsibility in destination and the treatment of the generated waste.

In the case of waste of groups III and IV, the centre generating the waste and the treatment installation authorised by the Agència de Residus de Catalunya must sign the corresponding acceptance sheet. Furthermore, the transport, by an authorised carrier, must be formalised with a follow-up sheet.

The treatment installations must also:

• have an official book to control the waste, where the activity of the installation will be noted and which must be available to the competent authorities;
• inform the Agència de Residus de Catalunya each month of the details of the waste treated, both concerning its quality and origin.

Decree 27/1999, of 9th February, concerning the management of health waste.
(DOGC no. 2828 of 16/02/1999)

Decree 92/1999, of 6th April, modifying Decree 34/1996, of 9th January, in approval of the Catalogue of waste in Catalonia.
(DOGC no 2865 of 12/04/1999)

Decree 93/1999, of 6th April, on waste management procedures.
(DOGC no 2865 of 12/04/1999)