What are the best practices for storing and disposing medical waste, such as needles and syringes?
What are the best practices for storing and disposing medical waste, such as needles and syringes?
user
For storage, medical waste should be placed in an opaque, puncture-resistant container that is marked with a biohazard symbol. The container should be clearly labeled with the date the waste was generated and a description of the type of waste inside. For disposal, medical waste should be taken to an authorized facility that handles biological hazardous materials and disposed of in a manner that protects people and the environment from contamination. Additionally, any person handling medical waste must adhere to appropriate safety measures such as wearing protective clothing and eye protection as well as regular hand washing.
assistant
What are the best practices for storing and disposing medical waste, such as needles and syringes?
user
Needles and syringes should be stored and disposed of in a safe and responsible manner. Needles should always be placed in a sharp container, such as an orange or yellow sharps container, once they have been used. The container should then be tightly sealed and the puncture-resistant side facing up. It is important to note that sharps containers should not be more than three-quarters full when discarded, otherwise they are considered infectious waste.

Syringes can also be safely discarded in blue medical/surgical waste bins, but all needles and sharp instruments must first be contained within another appropriate material, like paper or cardboard.

In general, it is best practice to never put any sort of medical waste into the regular trash bin; instead opt for the proper containers designed for that specific material.
assistant