Getting Rid of Needles and other Sharps – DO’s and DON’Ts

This shouldn’t be a tricky thing to do: after using needles, you should put them in a sharps disposal container and afterwards you should get rid of the container. Theoretically, this is correct. Nevertheless, there are some practical things you should know about the disposal of needles and other sharps. So, here are some DO’s and DON’Ts to help you with this process. 

DO’s

To reduce the risk of sticks, punctures and cuts from needles and other loose sharps, immediately after using them, place them in a sharps disposal container.

If possible, use an appropriate, FDA-cleared container. If it isn’t a possibility, opt for a heavy-duty plastic container (for example, a detergent container). In case you use this household disposal container, make sure it is a good disposal container with all the right features.

Finding a FDA-cleared sharps disposal container should, nevertheless, be your priority. To get more information on where and how to obtain medical disposal container, ask your local hospital, pharmacist or health care provider. Some of them might offer you to get rid of the containers instead of you for a nominal fee or even for free.

When traveling, carrying a portable sharps container is highly recommended.

Check out the community guidelines when it comes to getting rid of sharp disposal containers. So, make sure you call your local public health department or trash removal services to find out more about the proper sharps disposal programs. So, if you’re from Miami, Florida, make sure you call Miami Medical Waste Disposal services for more information.

Always keep sharps disposal containers, as well as needles and other medical sharps, out of reach of pets and children.

DON’Ts

Throwing needles and other medical sharps into the trash is one big NO. Also, don’t flush them down the toilet.

Needles and other sharps are not recyclable, so don’t put them in a recycle bin.

Never remove, recap, break or bend a needle that was used by another person, because this can cause severe infections.