I think depends on where you live, and your Council. My Council used to collect clinical waste including the incontinence pads etc.
2 years ago I received a letter from them, saying this service was to be discontinued, only sharps, dressings etc, would still continue to be collected. I complained about this decision. I was told they had contacted the Dept of health and soiled pads were not classed as a health hazard, I was told to put the pads in the black bin. My local MP tried to help. He contacted me, saying the Council was not cooperative, but, they assured him the pads were incinerated. I asked him, are all black bags now incinerated then, in which case we now have no land fills. Or the dustmen, now look through all the black bags to check which ones go to the incinerators. I don't think so.
I used to work on a hospital ward, if a patient had diahorea, they were transferred to a side ward, away from the other patients. Strange, how when it comes to saving money, these rules change. I don't understand, why, if they are collecting the sharp's anyway, why not take the pads?