Proper Disposal of Sharps
There is a special category of medical waste known as sharps. These include any item with pointy or sharp edges that can puncture the skin. They are considered bio-hazardous medical waste because they are likely to have blood on them. It’s extra important that sharps are disposed of correctly!
Simply place all SHARPS in a box called a “Sharps Container”. You can get approved bio-hazard containers from your pharmacist and return the container to pharmacist when full to get a new one.
Here are some examples of sharps:
- Auto-injectors
- Injection pens
- Injectors
- Lancets (diabetes needles)
- Needles
- Prefilled pens
- Syringes
| Disposal Don'ts |
|---|
| Never put any sharps in your garbage, recycling, or organics bin. |
| Never flush any sharps down your toilet. |
| Never re-cap needles — you could accidentally prick yourself. |
Learn More
For more information, visit www.healthsteward.ca .
Learn about the Ontario Sharps Return Program (OSRP) which is an easy way to dispose of any sharps you may have in your home.
Resource Information:
Type: Article
Length: Short (< 5 minutes)
Topics: Medical Supplies/Medication
Conditions: Diabetes , Other
Related Careguides: Diet for Diabetes, Handling Needles & How to Relieve Anxiety Around Needles, How to Safely Dispose Of Medical Waste
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