Steps To Take To Prevent Injury & Illness

If you’re one of the millions of people who need to use sharps and other similar materials at home for medical reasons, it’s important to understand how to safely dispose of them. Improper disposal of needles, lancets and sharps can result in illness and injury and pose a risk to the community and the environment. Here’s a quick guide on the steps to safe disposal:

What Not to Do with Used Sharps

The most important thing to note when it comes to disposing of sharps at home is that they should never be thrown into the regular trash or the recycling bin. Loose sharps can be dangerous for several reasons including accidental sticks and pricks as well as the risk of exposure to a variety of infectious diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B and C and bloodborne pathogens. When thrown loosely into the trash, they endanger sanitation workers as well as family members, pets and the community.

Proper Disposal Options

There are several options for safely disposing of at home injectors and other sharps.

1. Mailback sharps in approved containers via a medical waste disposal company

All Points Medical Waste offers the option of mailing back your sharps by providing a puncture and leak proof sharps container. This method is easy and takes just a few steps. Just visit mailback services on our site and follow the simple steps to ordering your sharps container.

2. Pack your sharps in a hard plastic container

There are several household containers that can serve as an option for packing up used sharps including an empty detergent container. Once the container is three-quarters full, put the lid on and seal it with duct tape. Be sure to use a permanent marker and write “do not  recycle” on the outside of the container. You can place the container in the regular trash once it’s sealed–never put in the recycling bins.

3. Drop off used sharps at an approved facility

Many communities offer locations to safely drop off used sharps. Check with local waste authorities to find one near you. In addition, your local medical waste disposal provider may accept used sharps or your physician’s office.

All Points Medical Waste can help with disposal of sharps at home. We provide full service medical waste to customers throughout Florida including Broward County all the way to Okeechobee County. Give us a call today or complete the form on this page to learn more.