Proper & Safe Disposal

Vaccinations for the deadly COVID-19 pandemic have begun to roll out across America and with this, the questions about how to safely dispose of associated waste arise. It’s important for all healthcare facilities that are providing the vaccine to be aware of the proper and safe way to dispose of waste. Some guidelines to follow include:

Sharps, Syringes & Vials

All items used to administer the vaccine, including sharps, syringes and empty vaccine vials must be placed in a FDA approved sharps container. It is imperative to never dispose of these materials in the regular trash, recycling bins or put loosely into a bio hazardous waste container.

Vial Trays

Those medical facilities that are administering the Pfizer vaccine need to be aware that the vial trays the vaccine is stored on should be disposed of in the red bag, bio hazardous waste box or container. Be sure to check local and state laws, protocols, and disposal regulations before placing the vial trays in the bio hazardous waste container.

Unused Vaccine Doses

The vaccine doses do not contain any viral material and is therefore not considered to be hazardous. It is still important to dispose of any doses that are not used or have been compromised in any way. And it is recommended that they be disposed of in the non-hazardous pharmaceuticals container.

Contaminated PPE

All contaminated PPE, including masks, gloves and gowns, should be disposed of in the red bags. These bags are specifically for bio hazardous waste. These items can lead to the spread of COVID-19. So it is imperative that they are not placed in containers or waste bags that contain non hazardous waste.

Cold Box Shipping Materials and Tracking Materials

The Covid-19 vaccine arrives packaged in a cold box. Firstly, it is equipped with tracking devices that must be returned to the manufacturer. Secondly, it is important to follow the vaccine manufacturer’s guidelines. Guidelines for what items need to be returned and how the items should be returned.

While the country continues to deal with the global pandemic, it is crucial that every healthcare facility stay aware of and up to date on all vaccine and testing guidelines and regulations. It is hopeful that the vaccine will become more and more available and that this will aide in stopping the spread of the virus.

All Points Medical Waste is a family owned and operated company located in Stuart, Florida. We provide full-service medical waste disposal to facilities across South Florida including Okeechobee County, St. Lucie and Martin Counties, Palm Beach and Broward Counties. Give us a call today or fill out this form to learn more.