Ask your diabetes educator or local american diabetes association chapter about sharps disposal programs. Infectious waste includes contaminated materials andor sharps that have been exposed to human fluids, human cell lines, or with biohazardous. State of hawaii environmental management division july. Sharps should not be thrown in the trash or the recycle bin, regardless of whether they are used or unused. Fact sheet each year, approximately 9 million sharps usersor people who use needles, syringes, lancets, auto injectors, injection pens, infusion sets, or connection needlessets to receive medicationwill administer at least 3 billion injections outside of healthcare facilities. State of hawaii environmental management division july 2000. Effective july 1, 1995, hospitals and nursing homes were required to accept properlycontained home medical waste for disposal. Three methods of disposing syringes and other sharps collection sites exist across new york state. Disposing of sharps in these ways is unlawful what should schools do. If improperly thrown in trash bags along with regular trash, these sharps can puncture. It is also illegal to transport sharps needles in a nonbiohazard container. Disposal recommendations for indiana residents on proper disposal of homegenerated needlessharps in 2006, the diabetes advisory group created a syringe disposal task force consisting of a group of people from a variety of public and private interests, including representatives from local health departments, solid waste management districts.
Disposal recommendations for indiana residents on proper. Under the new health and safety sharps instruments in healthcare regulations 20, 2 healthcare facilities need to assess the risk of exposure to bloodborne infections from sharps injuries. Mailback programs these programs allow home sharps users to mail their used sharps to a licensed disposal facility. Finding ways to safely dispose of used medical sharps is an important public health priority. The city implemented a sharps disposal program that allows sharps users to drop off sharps containers at the citys existing household hazardous waste collection facilities. Disposing of loose needles, lancets and syringes sharps into household trash poses a risk to family members and solid waste workers who must handle the waste. If a sharp is contaminated with biological material, it must be decontaminated before disposal. This will reduce the risk of needle sticks, cuts, and punctures from loose sharps. Dispose of sharps with care be responsible for the device you use activate safety features after use dispose of devices in rigid sharps containers. As such, they should not be thrown loosely in the trash so, after using one, its best to. You can either store your used needles for future disposal or destroy them immediately. These can be purchased at pharmacies, medical supply stores or ordered through the mail.
Establish schoolbased procedures for dealing with needles and syringes found in school grounds based on the information in this fact sheet. The medical waste management act pdf icon external icon pdf 74 kb. To be safe and legal, dispose of homegenerated sharps, needles, and syringes in this manner. The first step is to obtain an appropriate sharps disposal container. July 10, 2014 purdue university sharps and infectious waste handling and disposal guidelines definitions sharps. Safe sharps disposal ask your health care provider or pharmacist if they accept sharps. Each year, approximately 9 million sharps usersor people who use needles, syringes, lancets, auto injectors, injection pens, infusion sets, or connection. Sharps collection 231 4482275 jane mccloud properly contained sharps will be collected from residents of charlevoix county no commercial businesses at the beaver island rural health center located at 37304 kings highway in beaver island, michigan.
Approved sharps container 1800oily cat 6459228 disposing of your sharps needles approved sharps containersdisposal per california state law, it is illegal to dispose of sharps needles in the trash, recycling bin or composting bins. Free sharps containers are available at prevention point philadelphia. Never put needles and other sharp medical items in the trash, recycling or medication collection drop boxes. Puncture proof commercial sharps containers intended for the disposal of broken glass, syringe needles, scalpels, etc. At this time, the district of columbia does not have a needle disposal program. Follow these steps for safe and proper disposal gloves leather utility or vinyl.
Sharps safety environmental health and safety iowa. If you cannot find a disposal program, put container in center of full trash bag and. Sharps that are improperly disposed of may cause injury. When full, the box may be collected for disposal by your local council. Note dshss and tceqs definitions of medical waste and healthcare facilities excludes waste from single or multifamily dwellings, hotels, motels, or other. Ohio law allows for the disposal of sharps generated by. Sharps collection 231 3529631 hospital laboratory paul oliver memorial hospital in frankfort provides free sharps containers and disposal to residents of benzie county. These containers are closable and puncture resistant on the sides and.
This webpage from the food and drug administration gives tips for safely disposing getting rid of needles and other sharp devices that are used outside of health care settings. Patients and caregivers should keep these tips in mind when at home, at work, and while traveling. Free printable visual learning guides for safe sharps disposal fda. Used household needles, lancets, and syringes collectively called sharps. Sharps are defined as needles, syringes, scalpels, lancets, and intravenous tubing with needles attached, whether they are used or not. Household sharps are needles, syringes with attached needles, lancets, auto injectors insulin pens, and other items with a sharp edge that are generated at. Protecting yourself when handling contaminated sharps. Every year, people throughout the country use billions of needles, syringes and lancets also known as sharps to manage medical conditions at home. This is a safe and viable disposal option for every community. Medical sharps disposal adeq arizona department of. Disposal options for needles and syringes january 2019. Glassware and sharps procedures for safe handling and disposal 3. Those who use sharps must be aware of proper disposal methods to avoid haphazard disposal habits and accidental exposure to used sharps. The fda recommends a twostep process for properly disposing of used needles and other sharps.
For a list of providers, visit the coalition for safe community needle disposal at. You can help prevent injury, illness and pollution by following some simple steps when you dispose of the sharp objects and contaminated materials you use in administering health care in your home. The responsible disposal of syringes and sharps is your part in protecting the public and the environment. By safely disposing of your sharps, you can keep others from getting hurt and prevent the spread of disease.
Sharps containers may be picked up at the hospital laboratory and brought back to the laboratory for disposal when full. Sharps must be packaged safely and either be incinerated in a licensed medical waste incinerator or rendered noninfectious and. Sharps must be placed directly into puncture resistant containers as required by the general industry standards in 16vac25901910. The improper disposal of contaminated sharps is a serious safety concern for garbage collectors and landfill workers. All sharps must be collected and disposed in a sharps container, except for non contaminated lab glassplasticware which may be disposed in. A list of sharps dropoff sites is listed on the back of this brochure. The sharps and glass disposal pdf flow chart specifies proper procedures for sharps disposal. Safe sharps disposal department of public health city. A sharps bin is a specially designed box with a lid that you can get on prescription fp10 prescription form from a gp or pharmacist. Sharps and infectious waste handling and disposal guidelines.
Standard operating procedure sop for safe handling of. Wisconsin medical sharps collection program wisconsin dnr. Disposal of household generated sharps what is the purpose of this guidance document. Wisconsins sharps collection program is simple, flexible and voluntary and includes a variety of collection programs, from. Place sharps in an empty, rigid plastic container, such as a laundry detergent bottle.
How to get rid of a sharps container safe disposal of needles and other sharps used at home, at work, or while traveling there are several ways to get rid of a sharps disposal container. Standard operating procedure sop for safe handling of sharps issued. Large numbers of sharps are used at home, work and on the road. This leaflet contains helpful hints on how you can do this safely. Be smart with sharps pamphlet pdf 986kb safe sharps disposal label for garbage container pdf. Disposal options for needles and syringes household hazardous waste used household needles, lancets, and syringes collectively called sharps that are not properly managed can injure or spread disease to family members, waste handlers, and the public. Charlevoix ii mclaren northern michigan sharps collection events 2314874000. Household sharps are needles, syringes with attached needles, lancets, auto injectors insulin pens, and other items with a sharp edge that are generated at home through selfcare, rather than under the care of a home healthcare professional or at a healthcare facility. Sharps may also be associated with illegal drug use. How to safely dispose of household sharps gnrhealth.
Medical sharps, such as needles, syringes and lancets, pose an injury risk for anyone who comes into contact with these items. The dnr has a new online registration form for sharps collection stations. A sharp is any medical device with a sharp tip that cuts through your skin, like a syringe, needle, or lancet. Seal the container with heavyduty tape before disposing in your trash. It is your responsibility to safely dispose of your sharps bin. Its recommended that you place your needles, syringes, and other sharps in. To navigate through the ribbon, use standard browser navigation keys.
Best way to get rid of used needles and other sharps fda. Dont stick someone else with your problem medical sharps proper disposal in the home the legislative commission to develop alternatives to the disposal of medical sharps in household waste the information contained in this. If improperly thrown in trash bags along with regular trash, these sharps can puncture the bags and cause injury. Used sharps, such as needles, syringes, and other sharp drug or medical tools, are dangerous to people and pets. Use a sharps bin to dispose of used needles or sharps. Call your doctor, pharmacy, or clinic and ask if they accept properlycontained sharps for disposal. You may even want to label the container, not for recycling. Please dispose of needles properly n eedles and syringes from a household or other place of lodging, such as a motel or hotel, are not considered medical waste. Sharps disposal patient information leaflet you have been given a sharps bin for you to safely get rid of used needles, syringes and lancets in your home. Definitions sharps the term sharps refers to any item having corners, edges, or projections capable of cutting or piercing the skin. If not, deliver properly packaged sharps to a dropoff location. Standard operating procedure for the disposal of sharp. Do use plastic cap or protector to cover sharps if available.
Safely disposing of sharps protects residents, sanitation workers and the environment, but more and more frequently they are found improperly disposed of. Improperly discarded sharps potentially expose people to infection or injury, posing a health risk not only to sanitation, housekeeping and janitorial workers, but also pets, children and other family members. Medical sharps proper disposal in the home the legislative commission to develop alternatives to the disposal of medical sharps in household waste the information contained in this document was produced by the legislative commission to develop alternatives to the disposal of medical sharps in household waste. Items capable of puncturing, cutting, or abrading the skin such as glass or plastic pipettes, broken glass, test tubes, petri. Management of household sharps what are household sharps. All hospitals and nursing homes in new york state are mandated by law to accept homegenerated sharps as a free, community service through their sharps collection programs. To provide information on proper practices for disposing of sharps waste. Ensure that your schools procedure regarding rubbish. Disposing of sharps into proper containers cleaning up after a procedure sharps left on floors and tables, or found in linen, beds, or waste containers in hospitals, 80% 4 in 5 of sharps injuries are due to the use of. In addition, make sure your sharps container is made of nonbreakable material and has a. Protecting yourself when handling contaminated sharps sharps are objects that can penetrate a workers skin, such as needles, scalpels, broken glass, capillary tubes.
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