The frequency of sharp objects in solid waste and the potential for serious injury to not only the person “taking out the trash” and those picking up the trash is an increasing and dangerous hazard.
For the safety of our employees and the ones “taking out the trash”, please take the following precautions when disposing of sharp objects that have the potential to injure others:
- Medical needles should be placed and stored in a hard plastic container, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle with lid/cap securely closed. Please place this container inside a heavy, corrugated cardboard box and use duct tape to close box before placing with solid waste for collection. Labeling box as “Sharps Enclosed” also cautions our employees to handle with care.
- Check with your doctor or medical supplier about disposal through their procedures and/or providers.
- Broken glass of any shape, size and quantity must be placed in a heavy, corrugated box and securely duct taped shut. Use of contact/shelving paper can aid in not only picking up broken glass but provides safer handling when placing in box for disposal. Labeling box as “Broken Glass” also cautions our employees to handle with care.
- Sharp plastic packaging poses the potential of ripping your bags and of cutting our employees. Please wrap sharp plastics with duct tape before placing in trash bags or place in cardboard box, shut securely, for disposal.
Using common sense in the disposal of sharps and the awareness of potential hazards to others will help keep everyone injury free.
