Clinical waste collections axed in Hyndburn

The move will see items such as adult incontinence nappies and pads, plus colostomy bags, added to ordinary household wheelie bins.

In the past, the council provided special bags and collections of the items, which were then incinerated.

All of the other East Lancashire councils still offer this service.

However, bosses say the waste must now be added to fortnightly ordinary grey waste collections.

Council leader Miles Parkinson said the decision was made following a change in the classification of clinical waste.

He also pledged the council would consult with users who felt the changes did not meet their needs.

The move has angered The Base, in Great Harwood, which offers day care respite services for adults with learning disabilities.

Director Alan Wilkinson said: “This will affect many of our users’ home lives, which are difficult enough already.

"It is quite simply an essential waste service and the suggestion someone should just toss it in the wheelie bin is absurd.

"Someone using incontinence pads, for example, can go through about five in a 24-hour period.

"Over a week, that’s a wheelie bin full.

“Absolutely no-one would want that hanging around for two weeks.

"It is massively unhygienic. It will make life very difficult for people and we would say it is wrong.”

Coun Parkinson said: “Because the classif-ication of how this waste should be treated has changed, there’s no need to collect it separately any more.

“There are 55 homes in the borough who use this service and they have all been contacted.

"If any residents have any concerns, they can contact the council to discuss them.

"For example some people may need to request a larger bin.”

Opposition leader Peter Britclife said: “This is an essential service.

“It is a disgusting way to treat people who rely absolutely upon this collection.

“It is disgraceful to make the lives of disabled, and often elderly, people harder in this way.”