Sharps Waste Disposal

Sharps waste is a type of (biological) medical waste that includes any tool or object capable of piercing or cutting skin, hence the name “sharps”. It should be noted that they are classified as biohazardous medical waste and therefore potentially harmful to both humans and animals.

Needles and syringes, often referred to as sharps, should not be placed in trash cans or recycling containers. Sharp objects are defined as having the potential to puncture or tear. These include syringes with needles, detached needles and disposable lancet. Because they are used for medical purposes or may have come into contact with garbage or wastewater, sharp objects can carry infectious diseases and pose a danger to solid waste handlers or anyone who comes into accidental contact with them.

The largest source of sharps waste comes from the billions of injections given to patients each year. Unfortunately, most of these cannot be avoided, as vaccination plays a vital role in preventing and treating many diseases.

Sharps waste includes:

1. Medical needles and suture needles.

2. All kinds of sharp medical instruments, including: scalpels, scalpels, leather knives, surgical saws, etc.

3. Glass slides, glass test tubes, glass ampoules, etc.

Incineration of medical waste is of course the most popular method for the complete destruction of sharp instrument waste. Autoclaves and integrated shredding sterilizers combine the steam sterilization and shredding processes in one container and can easily handle sharp instrument waste disposal in the field. One of its most significant benefits over incineration is that it emits zero hazardous substances, making it one of the best solutions on the market for sustainable disposal and medical sharps waste disposal. Not to mention it can reduce the volume of sharps waste by 80%, making it easier to dispose of.