Photos showing a large amount of clinical waste piled at health centres in Scotland have emerged on social media.

Dozens of large bags stacked on top of bins can be seen in the images captured at North Lanarkshire health centres in Coatbridge and Cumbernauld.

It comes after Scots clinical waste disposal firm Healthcare Environment Services (HES) ceased operations as a result of becoming embroiled in a stockpiling controversy last year.

The photos emerged on a Facebook page created by a number of people concerned with the HES conflict.

NHS Lanarkshire claimed the backlog was due to a delay in uplifts being requested and posed no risk.

John Paterson, director of PSSD, also confirmed the waste was removed between January 9 and 11.

He said. "The waste at Coatbridge, Kilsyth and Central (in Cumbernauld) Health Centres was uplifted between 9 and 11 December.

"We have an agreed interim process in place to ensure that clinical waste is uplifted as and when required, while the national contract is resolved.

"There was a delay in uplifts being requested with these three centres but we have taken steps to avoid this in future.

"This was low level clinical waste that was bagged in accordance with procedures and held in closed-off areas.

"There was no risk to public health."

Last month workers lost their jobs at HES after it was stripped of NHS contracts.

The waste disposal firm was accused of allowing body parts to pile up.

In November, HES said it planned to sue the NHS organisations which had terminated their contracts.

HES insisted a shortage of incinerators led to the backlog problem and it has always maintained the waste was being stored safely and securely.