Strategies to Manage Sharps Waste Disposal

Strategies to Manage Sharps Waste Disposal: People usually get sick from time to time. Often, after diagnosis, there is a need to administer medication or some other form of treatment such as surgeries. Whichever the case, these remedial actions usually result in the use of sharp objects such as syringes for administering drugs or scalpels which are used for making incisions; among other medical tools. It is important to set up a robust sharps waste management system that helps to get rid of such medical waste after use. Not only it helps in reducing accidents, but it also helps to keep track of medical tools that have already been used. Discussed below are some of the approaches that you can take to facilitate effective sharps waste management at your hospital, clinic, or even home. 

Strategies to Manage Sharps Waste Disposal

Using supervised collection points or drop boxes

Some community waste management programs put up collection sites in health centers such as hospitals, pharmacies, health clinics, community organizations, fire stations, and health departments, among others. You can take advantage of such centers and take your filled sharps containers to these sites. Notably, some of these collection centers may charge a nominal fee to be able to use but most of them are usually free. You can check with your local authority or council to determine if they offer such supervised collection points or drop boxes which you can then use to take care of your waste. Such waste management options give you the freedom and much-needed access to essential waste management services. 

Use of mail-back programs

Another effective way of managing sharps waste is by using mail-back programs. Typically, this involves placing recommended sharps containers in shipping containers provided by the FDA. The container is then mailed to a designated collection site for proper waste disposal. Notably, this service usually comes at a fee which usually depends on the container size. However, you should be sure to follow the instructions given by the container manufacturer which are usually included with the disposal container. Failure to do so may violate the mail-back program policies which may result in your waste not being sent to the designated collection site. You may even be fined for violating the set procedures. Therefore, you should be sure to check the disposal container instructions before sending it via the mail-back programs. 

Use of in-house disposal products

The market boasts products that can be used to destroy used needles and other sharps which make them safer for disposal. Health care provides are usually equipped with this kind of information so it is advisable to find out from them about the best devices to use for this task. You can then acquire the devices and use them on your sharps waste which you can then dispose normally of with other waste products. 

Conclusion

Sharps play a critical role in mitigating health issues that we may come across now and again. However, they usually pose a significant danger, especially after use and should, therefore, be disposed of properly. This article explores some of the approaches that you can adopt towards managing sharps waste effectively. You can take advantage of one or two of the discussed methods, depending on your circumstances and preferences. 

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