Needles and syringes are often needed for overcoming health problems, such as diabetes. Thousands, if not millions of needles are used every day. What happens with all these sharps? They end up as biohazardous waste and this is why Palm Beach bio-medical waste management is necessary.
There is a plethora of laws, both federal and state in the United States that control how are used needles and other sharps disposed of. These have to be followed very strictly, but the problem arises from the fact that every US state has their own sharps disposal laws. Sometimes, even local municipalities have their regulations, which only makes the whole problem of how to properly dispose of needles bigger.
Universal Sharps Disposal Regulations Between States
Even though each of the 50 states has its own sharps disposal law, there are still many likenesses between state regulations. Every state requires, for instance, that sharps containers are properly labeled, and also regulates proper Palm Beach bio-medical waste management procedures for handling sharps waste.
Information about a particular state and how are sharps handled there can be obtained from the EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency’s) website.
Labeling Sharps Waste
Labeling is necessary not only for sharps, but for other medical wastes as well. It warns the bio-medical waste management handler about the contents of the sharps or other medical waste disposal container. With it, the handler knows what kind of PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) does he or she need and how to approach handling the said medical waste.
When it comes to sharps, the container they are discarded in is most often labeled as “Not for Recycle” or “Non-Recyclable”. According to a website Safe Needle Disposal, only health care professionals should label sharps containers as “Medical Waste” or “Infectious Waste”, while a needle user should not do this.
Of course, there are certain differences about labeling sharps containers per state, and as such Arizona laws require the use of a water-proof back market for writing on the sharps container, while Alabama laws do not. Also, there can be differences about what to write, so in some states (Hawaii for example), instead of “Infectious Waste” “Medical Waste” or Sharps Waste”, one needs to write “Bio-Hazard”.
What Containers are Suitable for Sharps In Your State?
The biggest difference among states regarding sharps waste disposal, however, is what kind of a container to use. All US states require that you place needles in a leak and puncture proof container, with a tight-fitting lid. And this is where things becomes a little messy.
Alabama and Colorado, for example, require reinforcing the lid with a strong (duct or packaging) tape. Also in certain states, such as Hawaii, you can use almost anything for containing sharps, including old bleach and soap bottles, as long as they fulfill three basic requirements for a sharps container (leak-proof, pierce-resistant and having a tight-fitting lid). In other states, such as Alabama, nothing that can be mistaken for a recyclable should not be used as a sharps container.
As you can see, Palm Beach bio-medical waste management can be tricky sometimes, especially when you consider all the different regulations between one state and the other. Most of these laws lean on the federal laws and the requirements of certain agencies, but knowing them is of course necessary if you are going to deal with sharps and other medical waste disposal.
