MEDICAL/HOME HEALTH CARE WASTE

You can help prevent injury, illness and pollution by following some simple steps when you dispose of the sharp objects and contaminated materials you use in administering health care in your home. You should place:

• needles
• syringes
• lancets
• sharp objects

in a hard plastic or metal container with a screw-on or tightly secured lid.

Many containers found in the household will do, or you may purchase containers specifically designed for the disposal of medical waste sharps. Before discarding a container, be sure to reinforce the lid with heavy-duty tape. Do not put sharp objects in any container you plan to recycle or return to a store, and do not use glass or clear plastic containers (See additional information below). Finally, make sure that you keep all containers with sharp objects out of the reach of children and pets.

We also recommend that soiled bandages, disposable sheets, and medical gloves be placed in securely fastened plastic bags before you put them with your other trash.

If a plastic container is used to dispose of medical waste sharps, don’t mix the container with other materials to be recycled. Since the sharps impair a container’s recyclability, a container holding your medical waste sharps properly belongs with the regular household trash. You may even want to place the container in the middle of your regular plastic trash bag and make sure the trash bag is tied shut. These steps go a long way toward protecting workers and others from possible injury.

If you are interested in Arlington Disposal Company’s home medical waste disposal service, call 817-317-2000.