Can Sharps Containers Be Thrown In The Trash

This will reduce the risk of needle sticks cuts and punctures from loose sharps.

Can sharps containers be thrown in the trash. Sharps that retract after use or are very small should be disposed of like all other sharps. Place all needles and other sharps in a sharps disposal container immediately after they have been used. Medical waste as well as needles and sharps should never be thrown away in a normal trash. Disposal of medical waste.

However you are not allowed to place sharps in the household trash in california massachusetts certain parts of washington and a few other areas so it s important to know your local rules. Once the needle or lancet is destroyed by heat in a destruction device the remaining syringe and melted metal can be safely disposed of in the garbage not the recycling container. Can you throw a sharps container in the garbage. Sharps containers contain extremely dangerous waste and thus have to dealt with as such.

A sharp is any medical device with a sharp tip that cuts through your skin like a syringe needle or lancet. Sharps waste should be placed in a state approved container. According to osha estimates 5 6 billion healthcare workers handling medical equipment such as needles syringes and scalpels are at risk of exposure to blood borne pathogens from sharps related injuries. Sharps containers must be properly labeled and stored safely and securely until available for disposal.

Posted on october 20th 2016. Sharps should never be thrown loosely into the trash or toilet. A needle clipper that stores clipped needles should be disposed of at a sharps collection site or through a mail back program. Having sharps containers in each room for injections and other contaminated sharps would be sufficient.

They can contain bacteria and diseases that shouldn t have a chance to come in contact with anyone after. Check availability at designated distribution sites listed below. In most states properly sealed sharps disposal containers can be thrown away at home. To stay within osha compliance guidelines and states regulations one cannot throw their full sharps container in the regular garbage.

If you would like to bring your sealed container to a community sharps disposal program there are drop off locations in several counties. As such they should not be thrown loosely in the trash so after using one it s best to immediately place it in a sharps disposal container. Sealed sharps containers should not be disposed of in regular trash.