Sharps containers are a fundamental part of injury prevention and ensures patient and provider safety in any healthcare center. The containers hold items that may be hazardous to patients or providers, such as needles, syringes, lancets, and scalpels, which are potential culture media for the different types of pathogens. So what does one do when a sharps container becomes full and it is time to dispose of it? Sharps wastes are managed and disposed of in ways that ensure their safe management.
We are going to answer the most sensational question: “What happens to sharps containers?” We will also disassemble the entire process of sharps waste disposal, starting with the beginning and ending in an effort to make sure that every step is understood in this important aspect of medical waste.
What is a Sharps Container?
It’s a specialized, puncture-resistant container to help ensure items that can pierce or cut the skin are disposed of safely: needles, syringes, lancets, scalpels, and other sharp objects, usually used in medical procedures. It’s made of hard plastic designed leak-proof so no sharp object will escape while it is being disposed of. These are also displayed quite prominently with a biohazard symbol indicating the contents are toxic.
Sharps containers are very commonly used around the world in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and even in-home healthcare settings to prevent the misuse of potentially infectious medical waste. If sharps containers did not exist, then not only would the number of needle-stick injuries increase, but diseases and infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B, and C would become widespread. Proper use of sharps containers keeps healthcare workers and patients safe; otherwise, they also help preserve a sterile and hazard-free area.
Why Are Sharps Containers Important?
Sharps containers are essential for several reasons such as:
• Prevention of Injury: They prevent accidental punctures or cuts, which can occur if sharps are disposed of improperly.
• Control of Infections: They help reduce the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens, such as HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C by safely containing contaminated needles and other sharps.
• Regulatory Compliance: Use of sharps containers is part and parcel of complying with any regulations regarding the disposal of medical waste. Both the federal government and state governments require safe and appropriate disposal of sharps.
It’s simply impossible to overestimate the importance of sharps containers. They form an important element in every healthcare waste management program, making sure that medical wastes are handled securely.
What Happens to Sharps Containers After They Are Full?
Now that we know what sharps containers are and why they are important, let’s explore the critical question: What happens to sharps containers once they are full? The process of disposing of sharps containers follows a specific set of steps to ensure the waste is handled safely, sterilized, and ultimately disposed of without harm.
1. Collection and Transportation of Full Sharps Containers
Once a sharps container is full, it is capped and removed for disposal. Hospitals, clinics, or even homes that generate large quantities of sharps waste hire licensed medical waste collectors to assume the responsibility of collecting and disposing of sharps. Such companies have a business venture of extracting medical waste, which includes sharps containers, and transferring this waste to a treatment plant where this sharp waste undergoes treatment according to stringent regulatory requirements.
Sharps waste is transported in puncture-resistant, leak-proof packaging with no risk of exposure during the transportation process. Correct transportation is very crucial since it eliminates possible accidents if spillage or leakage were to happen. The collected sharps containers are then transferred to a certified medical waste treatment facility.
2. Sterilization of Sharps Waste
Once sharps waste has reached the treatment facility, it is sterilized to kill any infectious agent that may be present. Sterilization of sharps waste is usually done by autoclaving.
This process of sterilization, high-pressure steam sterilization, relies upon the involvement of both heat and steam to kill any kind of pathogen or detrimental bacteria, viruses, etc. So, sharps waste placed into an autoclave—a very big machine that generates temperatures as high as 250°F to 270°F (121°C to 132°C)—will go through the process under extreme pressure; therefore, any pathogens contained within the sharps waste are destroyed, and it will then become safe for disposal.
The most widely accepted process for sharps waste is autoclaving as it is both efficient and environmentally friendly. The waste has no infectious qualities following the autoclaving sterilization process, and can then be treated like ordinary waste.
3. Alternative Disposal Methods: Incineration
Sometimes, incineration can be taken as an alternative for the treatment of sharps wastes. Incineration means the burning of sharps wastes at high temperatures, ensuring all the infectious material is eliminated during this process. However, it is preferred to undergo autoclaving. Still, in a particular region where autoclaving cannot be done or as per the local rules and regulations, it can be adopted.
Incineration is more useful for specific kinds of medical waste that are not possible to be sterilized through autoclaving. It is more expensive and more taxing to the environment, which is why autoclaving remains the most commonly used method for sharps disposal.
4. Disposal After Treatment
When autoclaving or incinerating is carried out on sharps waste, then it is ready to be finally disposed. If the waste was autoclaved, then in such a case, it has been disposed of in the landfill. At this step, the waste is not considered hazardous because all material has become ineffective. It can then safely be disposed of with non-hazardous waste.
If incineration has been used, the waste is usually reduced to ash, which is also disposed of in a landfill or other designated waste facility. The ash is non-hazardous because it no longer contains any infectious material.
Why Is Safe Sharps Disposal So Important?
One of the most important medical waste disposal is Sharps waste, which can endanger people exist if not disposed of appropriately.
• Injury to Healthcare Workers: Accidental needle-stick injuries are a common risk for healthcare workers. Improper disposal of sharps can lead to serious accidents and exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
• Risk of Infection: Without proper treatment or disposal, sharps waste enables infectious agents in the waste to spread and risk diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV.
• Environmental Contamination: Wrong disposal in public rubbish litter bins or landfill sites becomes a source of environmental pollution when sharps break open or leak fluids into the surroundings.
Proper sharps disposal is, therefore, very important in ensuring public health and the environment. Using sharps containers and sterilizing the waste can be a good way of reducing the risks associated with sharps waste.
The Role of Medical Waste Disposal Companies
Medical waste disposal companies are also included in the process. They are trained, certified, and licensed to handle and transport hazardous medical waste, which includes sharps containers. All of the waste will be disposed of according to local, state, and federal regulations through these companies.
Using a licensed medical waste disposal company assures healthcare facilities safely manage and dispose of their sharps waste, eliminating the possibilities of risks to healthcare workers, patients, and the environment.
The Journey of Sharps Waste
So what are the sharps containers supposed to be done with? Well, the collection first, in a puncture-resistant container, safely transports it to the disposal company for medical waste. When arriving there, through autoclaving or incineration, sharps waste is sterilized ensuring all infectious material is destroyed, and then properly disposed of in a landfill or facility for waste.
Sharps waste disposal is included in the process of managing healthcare waste. Proper management of sharps containers can ensure a safe and sterile environment. Only through proper management and disposal of sharps waste can injury and public health be prevented, regardless of whether it is through a health care facility or an individual.
For sharp disposal services that you could rely on in the medical waste management of your facilities, call medical waste management Miami today to arrange expert services. We work so that our waste disposal complies with all safety features that help make your facility safe while also strictly complying with any regulatory requirements. So get in touch with us now for more information about services related to sharps disposal and other medical waste services.
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