It is crucially important for any facility that generates sharp waste to dispose of them in a manner that is both safe and effective. Because medical facilities are responsible for their clinical waste long after it has left their premises. Sharps must be collected by a business that is permitted to do so to verify that the disposal is in compliance with rules.

To learn more about the procedure, have a look at our comprehensive guide to the disposal of sharps bins.

What exactly is waste from sharps?

Hypodermic needles, disposable scalpels, contaminated glass, and sharp plastics are all examples of what are referred to as “sharps waste.” Sharps waste refers to any kind of medical waste that provides a danger of puncture or laceration.

• Any needle, blade, or cutting device that is used in a medical setting is considered sharp waste. Regardless of whether or not it has physically come into contact with potentially hazardous materials. This includes anything that is attached to them. Such as a handle or cap, and anything that is used in a medical setting.
• Glass objects that have been in touch with biohazardous material are considered sharps regardless of whether or not they are broken. This is because they can shatter during the disposal process. Generating a sharp and potentially contaminated object.
• Plastics that aren’t sharp may be thrown away with other types of biohazard waste. While contaminated plastics that might scrape or pierce the skin are thrown away with other types of sharp waste.

What dangers are involved with sharp objects?

Blood-borne infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C can be transmitted by the use of sharps. Because even a minute quantity of an infectious fluid is enough to transmit some illnesses, all it takes for someone to get the illness is to accidentally prick themselves with a needle or get a cut with a sharp object that has been contaminated.

One of the primary goals of the legislation governing the disposal of sharps is to minimise the amount of time that contaminated sharps are handled and to guarantee that they are always properly confined.

On-site disposal of needles and sharps

When disposing of any waste that qualifies, you are required to utilise a sharps container. This is a stiff plastic container that is resistant to puncturing and is often bright yellow in colour. To enhance safety and reduce the amount of time that used sharps are not adequately retained, stringent measures have been put into place.

Immediately after usage, the sharps must be thrown away by placing the whole assembly into the waste can. If you disassembled a syringe, for instance, it would result in more handling before it was contained. Which would increase the likelihood of someone being pricked by a needle.

The sharps container has to be located in every place where sharps are used, but it must be kept out of the reach of minors. This will guarantee that it is utilised in a manner that is both safe and effective.

Instead of bringing used sharps to the box, the box must be brought to the patient. To avoid having needles or other sharp objects sticking out of the top of the container, the sharps container should never be filled more than three-quarters of the way full.

The collection of sharps from the location

To reduce the risk of contamination as much as possible. It is of the utmost significance that all sharps be removed from the premises by a professional business and disposed of appropriately and safely. Sharp bin collection is the responsibility of regulated businesses.

The majority of the time, the licensed operator will collect the box from its position as opposed to having it taken out by a worker at the facility. This helps to keep the number of persons who come into contact with the container to a minimum.

The facility from where the box was collected will get a signed paper as proof that it has been collected. And a second document will be kept with the box until it has been decontaminated. This will ensure that the box has not been tampered with in any way.

How are used sharps disposed of properly?

Once the sharps boxes have been sealed and put onto the collecting truck. They will not be removed until they have arrived at the approved processing facility where they will be processed. An apparatus known as an autoclave is used at this location to sterilise the instruments by subjecting them to pressurised steam and water that has been heated to very high temperatures. Even though it happens less often, some sharps end up being burned.

After being sterilised in an autoclave, the sharps may be securely discarded with the rest of the waste in a normal manner. Even plastics may be melted down and repurposed for further uses in the future. After the sharps have been disinfected and disposed of. The form that is included with the box will be signed to attest that the decontamination procedure has been completed.

How to Properly Handle Sharps Waste Disposal in Your Hospital

The best way to properly handle sharps box disposal in your hospital is to have a sharps container that meets the requirements of your state and local regulations. The container should be easy to find and use, have a lid that closes tightly. And have an indicator for when it needs to be replaced.

Licensed disposal service for sharps containers

Trikon Clinical Waste is a certified waste carrier. And all of our employees have received extensive training in the proper management of clinical waste. We will give you the appropriate documentation to indicate that we have securely disposed of your sharps waste following the standards that were stated in the Environment Act of 1990. This certification is needed to show that we have met the requirements of the legislation.

Get in contact with us right away if you have any questions regarding the disposal of sharps that we provide.