Sharps & Infectious Waste Disposal

Healthcare Facility Pricing: Monthly service: $50-$150 per month (includes container and pickup), per container: $15-$40 per container pickup, reusable container: $8-$20 per exchange, portable container rental: $5-$15 per month.

Residential/Home Healthcare: Mail-back container: $30-$80 (1-5 gallon, one-time use), retail drop-off: Usually FREE (CVS, Walgreens), community collection events: FREE, home pickup programs: $50-$150 (varies by area).

What Affects Cost: Volume generated (more = better rates), pickup frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly), container size and type, location, add-on services (needle clipping, infectious waste).

What's Included: FDA-approved sharps containers, regularly scheduled pickup, proper labeling and placarding, DOT-compliant transportation, EPA-approved treatment (autoclaving or incineration), certificate of destruction, manifest tracking.

Volume Planning: Medical office (20 patients/day): 4-8 gallon container monthly, dental office: 2-4 gallon monthly, veterinary clinic: 8-16 gallon monthly, dialysis center: multiple 18-gallon per week, home diabetic: 1-2 gallon per year.

Proper Sharps Handling: NEVER recap needles (leading cause of needle sticks), dispose immediately after use (don't set down), use one-handed scoop technique if must recap, never remove needles from disposable syringes, don't break or bend needles, fill containers only to fill line (3/4 full), close container immediately when full.

Container Placement: Within arm's reach of use, eye level or below (prevent spills when depositing), away from public access, secure mounting (wall brackets), not on floor or unstable surfaces, separate from regular trash, clearly labeled and visible.

Employee Training: Annual bloodborne pathogens training required, proper handling techniques, what to do if needle stick occurs, location of sharps containers, exposure control plan review, demonstration of safe practices.

Needle Stick Prevention: Use safety-engineered devices (retractable needles, needle shields), never pass exposed sharps hand-to-hand, use forceps or mechanical device, keep hands behind sharp at all times, adequate lighting in work areas, avoid distractions during procedures, never search in containers for anything.

If Needle Stick Occurs: Wash site immediately with soap and water, report to supervisor immediately (within 1 hour), seek medical evaluation (within 2 hours), document incident details, source patient testing (HIV, HCV, HBV), exposed worker testing and counseling, post-exposure prophylaxis if indicated, follow-up testing (6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months).

How Mail-Back Works: Purchase mail-back container (online or pharmacy), use over weeks/months until full, seal container per instructions, attach pre-paid shipping label, drop at USPS, UPS, or FedEx, company treats and disposes properly, receive certificate of destruction.

Container Sizes: 1 quart: $25-$40 (3-6 months for typical diabetic), 1 gallon: $35-$60 (6-12 months), 2 gallon: $50-$80 (12-18 months), 5 gallon: $80-$150 (commercial/high-volume home users).

Mail-Back Providers: SharpSafe, BD Home Sharps Program, UPS Medical Waste, Sharps Compliance Inc., Stericycle, MedWaste, SafeNeedleDisposal.

Reusable vs. Disposable: Disposable mail-back: Container + shipping + disposal all-in-one, convenient, no ongoing fees. Reusable containers: Lower per-exchange cost, more sustainable, requires scheduled service, better for facilities.

Container Features: Puncture-resistant rigid plastic, leak-proof design, one-way opening (can't retrieve sharps), clear fill lines, locking lids, biohazard labeling, various sizes (1 quart to 18 gallon), wall-mount or portable options.

Needle Clipping Devices: Some programs offer needle clippers ($15-$40), clips needle off syringe (safer than recapping), store clipped needles in device, device is sharps container, mail back when full, reduces sharps volume 80%.

Business Options: Small quantity generators (medical offices, veterinary): Combination service (reusable + mail-back for overflow), quarterly pickup with mail-back as needed. Medium/large facilities: Regular scheduled service only, better rates, consistent service.