Whether you're a doctor's office, a tattoo shop, or just an ordinary citizen, you probably handle a few sharps throughout the year. Sharps is a medical term for devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture skin, like needles and syringes. They are commonly used in medical care settings but also at home or while traveling to manage medical conditions.

Regardless of how or where they’re used, making sure sharps are disposed of safely is very important. After all, medical waste of any kind can pose a threat to public health and safety when it is released improperly into the environment. Thankfully, there are some simple ways to ensure your sharps are handled safely.

Why Are Sharps so Dangerous?

Sharps are classified as medical objects that puncture the skin. Not properly handling or managing sharps can cause injuries and have potentially dangerous or hazardous effects on people and the environment. Sharps come in many forms and have many medical applications within residential and commercial healthcare environments. Needles, syringes, lancets, and auto-injectors are all common examples of sharps.

How Can We Stay Sharp on Sharps Disposal?

They say that knowing is half the battle and power, so knowing how to safely dispose of sharps seems like a pretty good place to start. The safest way to dispose of sharps is in an approved sharps container. They tend to be brightly colored red and can be found at most doctor's offices, for reference. There are many local, state, and federal regulations for properly disposing of sharps, particularly those that are commercially-generated.

Commercial Sharps Disposal

If you work in a healthcare setting or any other business that handles sharps on a regular basis, then you need to make sure your working environment is safe. Sharps management can be improved with three simple phrases: “Be Prepared. Be Aware. Dispose of Sharps with Care.” It is important to have a sharps injury prevention program in place, as well as well-trained and educated personnel. For more information on how your office or staff can stay safe when dealing with sharps, take a look at the Sharps Safety brochure from the CDC.

Residential or Home-Generated Sharps Disposal

For residential or home-generated sharps management, because you may not have the same access to regulated sharps containers as in healthcare settings, safely disposing of sharps can be challenging. Using thick, puncture-resistant plastic containers to dispose of sharps is an option. Empty laundry detergent containers or bleach bottles are usually a good fit.

If you use one of these rigid plastic containers, you will need to label it appropriately and duct tape the lid so that you know it's secure. It can then be placed with household trash – do not recycle. Please note this is only for residential sharps disposal. Commercial sharps need to be handled by a compliant hazardous waste disposal company.

What Do I Do With My Sharps Container?

Once you've filled your sharps container, you're ready to dispose of it. Do not, under any circumstances recycle your container. For home-generated sharps, you need to dispose of it either along with household trash or placed in one of our safe sharps disposal kiosks located throughout the community and easily accessible to the public. Contact us at (410) 437-6590 or customercare@bwaste.com to locate the nearest safe sharps disposal kiosks. If you're a commercial company who needs a sharps disposal partner, contact us today and we'll help you get started!

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