Maryland Needle Disposal, looking for Maryland needle disposal? Here are some quick Dos & Don’ts for needle, sharps disposal and removal in Maryland. Safe disposal for all needles and sharps in Maryland is serious problem and extreme care should be given for the protection of Maryland
citizens and healthcare providers. In addition the protection of the Maryland environment should be considered and is a good reason to use a permitted Maryland Needle Biohazard company.
What are Maryland Sharps Needles?
“Sharps” is a medical term for devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut skin.
Examples of Maryland sharps needle include:
- Needles – hollow needles used to inject drugs (medication) under the skin
- Syringes – devices used to inject medication into or withdraw fluid from the body
- Lancets, also called “finger stick” devices – instruments with a short, two-edged blade used to get drops of blood for testing. Lancets are commonly used in the treatment of diabetes.
- Auto Injectors, including epinephrine and insulin pens – syringes pre-filled with fluid medication designed to be self-injected into the body
- Infusion sets – tubing systems with a needle used to deliver drugs to the body.
- Connection needles/sets – needles that connect to a tube used to transfer fluids in and out of the body. This is generally used for patients on home hemodialysis.
Maryland Sharps may be used at home, at work, and while traveling to manage the medical conditions of people or their pets. These medical conditions include allergies, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, infertility, migraines, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, blood clotting disorders, and psoriasis.
There are about 9 million Americans who use needles or other sharps to manage their medical conditions at home. This amounts to more than 3 billion used needles and other sharps that must be disposed of outside health care settings each year.
We Do :
• Immediately place used needles and other sharps in a sharps disposal container to reduce the risk of needle-sticks, cuts, or punctures from loose sharps.
• Use an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container, if possible. If an FDA-cleared container isn’t available, some organizations and community guidelines recommend using a heavy-duty plastic household container (i.e. laundry detergent container) as an alternative.
• Make sure that if a household disposal container is used, it has the basic features of a good disposal container. (See box at right for more info.)
• Be prepared — carry a portable sharps disposal container for travel.
• Follow your community guidelines for getting rid of your sharps disposal container.
• Call your local trash or public health department (listed in the county and city government section of your phone book) to find out about sharps disposal programs in your area.
• Ask your health care provider, veterinarian, local hospital or pharmacist o where and how you can obtain an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container, o if they can dispose of your used needles and other sharps, or o if they know of safe disposal programs near you.
• Keep all needles and other sharps and sharps disposal containers out of reach of children and pets.
All sharps disposal containers should be:
• made of a heavy-duty plastic;
• able to close with a tight-fitting, puncture-proof lid, without sharps being able to come out;
• upright and stable during use;
• leak-resistant; and • properly labeled.
Don’t :
• Throw needles and other sharps into the trash.
• Flush needles and other sharps down the toilet.
• Put needles and other sharps in your recycling bin — they are not recyclable.
• Try to remove, bend, break, or recap needles used by another person. This can lead to accidental needle sticks, which may cause serious infections.
• Attempt to remove the needle without a needle clipper device because the needles could fall, fly off, or get lost and injure someone.
Best Way to Get Rid of Used Needles and Other Sharps:
Step 1: Place all needles and other sharps in a sharps disposal container immediately after they have been used.
Step 2: Dispose of used sharps disposal containers according to your community guidelines.
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