August 1st marks the first day of National Immunization Awareness Month.
As more vaccines get distributed, it is important to properly dispose of the needles, syringes, and any other biohazardous material that can puncture the skin and expose a person to contaminated bodily fluids.
Sharps injuries significantly increase the risk to hospital workers of diseases like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. These injuries are one of the reasons why it is important to dispose of sharps properly. In addition, proper disposal can considerably decrease or eliminate the risk of sticks and infection caused by accidental punctures.
Proper sharps disposal not only protects people from harmful diseases but also saves your company money by avoiding heavy OSHA and FDA fines for not complying with the regulations for disposing of sharps.
Three ways to correctly dispose of your sharps
Mail-back Solutions
This method sends the biohazardous waste through the mail. The sharps must be packaged appropriately and labeled before pickup to guarantee it is safe and legal to collect and dispose of.
Most medical waste companies offer this service, including MedPro Disposal, but not all companies do. MedPro’s red sharps disposal containers come in several handy sizes. Each leakproof, puncture-resistant container comes with a prepaid mail-back shipping box, ensuring that we comply with OSHA and FDA regulations and provide your company with cheaper disposal services.
To see more information about our Mail-back Services click here.
Collection
Another way to correctly dispose of your sharps waste is to package them on-site and then hire a disposal company to collect them to take them off for treatment. Like Mail-back, most waste disposal companies will offer this service, including MedPro Disposal.
MedPro Disposal offers cost-effective, reliable medical waste disposal, including sharps disposal. We service 48 states in the United States, with more than 80 regional affiliate haulers. We offer a quick, reliable, cost-effective disposal that is always right nearby.
On-Site Treatment
Hiring a professional waste disposal company to dispose of your sharps is not required, but it is encouraged. Some facilities opt for on-site sharps disposal; however, it is much more tenuous as it requires specialized equipment and compliance training for any employee handling the sharps waste.
Do-it-yourself disposal can seem like a way to save money; however, consider the equipment, training, and employee hours necessary to properly dispose of your sharps waste. Paired with the risk of mismanagement and potential fines, the cost of sharps disposal services begins to make more sense.
The MedPro Solution
AsNational Immunization Awareness Month approaches it is important to educate or reeducate yourself on how to properly dispose of your sharps and understand the penalties if you don’t.
Here at MedPro Waste Disposal are goal is to not only provide simple and efficient sharps disposal services but also inform our clients about sharps and the importance of correctly disposing of them. To learn more about MedPro Disposal's sharps disposal services click here.
Common Questions
- When should a sharps container be replaced?
- The FDA advises disposing of a sharps container when it is about three-quarters full, and OSHA requires containers to be replaced routinely and never allowed to overfill. Close and lock the container at the fill line, and never push sharps in or shake the container to make room.
- What color are sharps containers?
- Most sharps containers are red. OSHA requires them to be labeled with the biohazard symbol and the word “BIOHAZARD” or be red. Yellow containers are commonly used for sharps contaminated with trace chemotherapy agents.
- What does OSHA require for sharps containers?
- Under 29 CFR 1910.1030, sharps containers must be closable, puncture resistant, leakproof on the sides and bottom, and labeled or color-coded. They must be easily accessible and as close as feasible to where sharps are used, kept upright, replaced routinely without overfilling, closed before removal, and placed in a secondary container if leakage is possible.
- How are sharps treated after pickup?
- Most sharps are autoclaved with pressurized steam to inactivate pathogens and then shredded so they can't cause injury. Sharps contaminated with chemotherapy agents or certain pharmaceuticals are typically incinerated at a licensed facility.
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