Sharps Disposal Service

Yes, after being placed in a rigid UN3291 PG II container. The sharps container is placed in our medical waste bin/box filled with other medical waste. It is then transported to the transfer station or treatment center.

This varies state-to-state. In Michigan, you have up to 90 days to store medical waste before having to dispose of it. Contact your local authority to find out how long you can hold onto RMW.

Our customers are left with a properly labeled biohazard waste bin where they store their full sharps containers in. Ask your Superior Medical Waste Representative for a brochure on the different waste bins we offer.

Sharps are a form of medical waste. Regulated Medical Waste is primarily regulated by state environmental and health departments. However, it is also regulated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There are many hands in this pot but one should contact their state environmental protection agency for more information on medical waste regulations.

Some different names for sharps are:

• Syringes
• Needles
• Healthcare Waste
• Infectious Waste
• Clinical Waste
• Biohazard
• UN3291 PG II

Here are some examples of typical sharps waste producers:

• Healthcare Professionals
• Dentists
• Veterinarians
• Vaccine Clinics
• Tattoo Parlors
• Schools
• Aestheticians

Needlestick injuries are wounds caused by needles that accidentally puncture the skin. According to the CDC, around 385,000 needle stick injuries happen every year to healthcare professionals. Needle stick injuries can transmit serious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis.

These injuries can occur at any time when people use, disassemble, or dispose of needles. The most common time for a sharps injury to occur is during and injection or during the discarding of needle into sharps container.

The second greatest threat to dealing with used needles is the liability that comes with it. OSHA requires businesses to provide proper training and equipment to their staff. One training that is required annually is bloodborne pathogens training.

OSHA also regulates how companies handle needle stick injuries after they happen. Employees injured by needles but document the incident in a needle stick injury log. They should seek medical advice for the next steps to take.

For businesses and organizations, no. This is a common misconception caused by confusing household disposal guidance with the rules that apply to medical waste-producing facilities. Michigan allows residents to place household-generated needles and lancets in the trash under certain local disposal procedures, although EGLE recommends using a community collection or take-back program when one is available — household sharps should be placed in a strong, puncture-resistant container and secured to prevent release. Businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, manufacturers, and other organizations are different: sharps generated by these facilities are regulated medical waste and must be properly stored, documented, treated, and disposed of through an approved medical waste process. Superior recommends that residents first check with their local municipality for a household sharps collection program.

Most medical waste cannot be stored at your facility for more than 90 days. The 90-day period begins when the storage container is first put into use, not when it becomes full. Your waste should be removed before that deadline. Sharps containers follow a separate rule: an in-use sharps container may remain onsite for up to 18 months, but it must be closed once it reaches three-quarters full. Once closed, it is still subject to the facility’s applicable 90-day medical waste storage limit.