How To Dispose Of A Contaminated Needle

DOs and DON'Ts of Proper Sharps Disposal

• DO immediately place used needles and other sharps in a sharps disposal container to reduce the risk of needle sticks, cuts or punctures from loose sharps.
• DO use an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container, if possible. If an FDA-cleared container is not available, some organizations and community guidelines recommend using a heavy-duty plastic household container as an alternative.
• DO make sure that if a household container is used, it has the basic features of a good disposal container.
• DO carry a portable sharps disposal container for travel.
• DO follow your community guidelines for getting rid of your sharps disposal container.
• DO call your local trash or public health department (listed in the county and city government section of your phone book) to find out about sharps disposal programs in your area.
• DO ask your health care provider, veterinarian, local hospital or pharmacist
  • where and how to get an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container,
  • if they can dispose of your used needles and other sharps, or
  • if they know of sharps disposal programs near you.
• DO keep all sharps and sharps disposal containers out of reach of children and pets.
• DO seal sharps disposal containers when disposing of them, label them properly and check your community guidelines on how to properly dispose of them.
• DO ask your medical or prescription insurer whether they cover sharps disposal containers.
• DO ask the manufacturer of your drug products that are used with a needle or other sharps if they provide a sharps disposal container to patients at no charge.
• DO report a problem associated with sharps and disposal containers.

• DON’T throw loose needles and other sharps into the trash.
• DON’T flush needles and other sharps down the toilet.
• DON’T put needles and other sharps in your recycling bin -- they are not recyclable.
• DON’T try to remove, bend, break, or recap needles used by another person. This can lead to accidental needle sticks, which may cause serious infections.
• DON’T attempt to remove the needle without a needle clipper because the needle could fall, fly off, or get lost and injure someone.
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What are Sharps?

“Sharps” is a medical term for devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut skin. 

Examples of sharps include:

•     Needles – hollow needles used to inject drugs (medication) under the skin

•     Syringes – devices used to inject medication into or withdraw fluid from the body

•     Lancets, also called “fingerstick” devices – instruments with a short, two-edged blade used to get drops of blood for testing. Lancets are commonly used in the treatment of diabetes.

•     Auto Injectors, including epinephrine and insulin pens – syringes pre-filled with fluid medication designed to be self-injected into the body

•     Infusion sets – tubing systems with a needle used to deliver drugs to the body.

•     Connection needles/sets – needles that connect to a tube used to transfer fluids in and out of the body. This is generally used for patients on home hemodialysis.

Sharps may be used at home, at work, and while traveling to manage the medical conditions of people or their pets. These medical conditions include allergies, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, infertility, migraines, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, blood clotting disorders, and psoriasis.

There are about 9 million Americans who use needles or other sharps to manage their medical conditions at home. This amounts to more than 3 billion used needles and other sharps that must be disposed of outside health care settings each year.1

Importance of Safe Sharps Disposal

Used needles and other sharps are dangerous to people and pets if not disposed of safely because they can injure people and spread infections that cause serious health conditions. The most common infections are:

•     Hepatitis B (HBV),

•     Hepatitis C (HCV), and

•     Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Safe sharps disposal is important whether you are at home, at work, at school, traveling, or in other public places such as hotels, parks, and restaurants.

Never place loose needles and other sharps (those that are not placed in a sharps disposal container) in the household or public trash cans or recycling bins, and never flush them down the toilet. This puts trash and sewage workers, janitors, housekeepers, household members, and children at risk of being harmed.

Pet owners who use needles to give medicine to their pets should follow the same sharps disposal guidelines used for humans.

What to Do If You Are Accidentally Stuck By a Used Needle or Other Sharp

If you are accidentally stuck by another person’s used needle or other sharp:

    Wash the exposed area right away with water and soap or use a skin disinfectant (antiseptic) such as rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.
    Seek immediate medical attention by calling your physician or local hospital.

Follow these same instructions if you get blood or other bodily fluids in your eyes, nose, mouth, or on your skin. For more information on viruses and needle-stick prevention, visit the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s website.

~ www.FDA.gov

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The Risks of the Job: Protecting Law Enforcement from Needle Stick Injuries

 

PART ONE: Protecting Law Enforcement from Needle Stick Injuries

 

PART TWO: Protecting Law Enforcement from Needle Stick Injuries

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