Safe disposal of "sharps"

Home management of a chronic illness often requires the use of needles or lances. You may need to give your family member shots. Or draw drops of blood for testing.

All these procedures involve the use of what are known as "sharps."

• Needles, infusion sets, and other systems for giving drugs or withdrawing fluids
• "Fingerstick" instruments for getting drops of blood
• Insulin pens and other prefilled devices for drug injection

The EPA estimates that every year more than 3 billion sharps are used in homes and other nonmedical settings.

A used sharp is a danger to people and pets. They can cause injury, creating an opportunity for infection. And they can spread diseases such as hepatitis and HIV.

• Never place loose sharps in a home or public wastebasket.
• Never flush sharps down the toilet.

If you poke yourself with a sharp, immediately wash area with soap or apply rubbing alcohol. Then call your doctor.

Always use a disposal container. Place used sharps in a container right away. If no container is available, recap the sharp for later disposal (be careful not to poke yourself in the process of recapping!). Leave containers only 75% full.

• FDA-approved containers. They are widely available online and through drugstores and medical supply stores. They are premarked with a "full" line. Some insurance plans and drug manufacturers pay for these containers.
• Alternative disposal containers. When necessary, use a heavy-duty, plastic household container. It should stand upright and have a tight-fitting lid with a small access hole. An empty liquid laundry detergent container is a good example. Label it clearly as containing hazardous waste.

Do NOT place a sharps container in the trash! Find out about container disposal options in your community from a local pharmacist, waste removal service, or city/county health department.

Need help managing your loved one's health?

As the San Diego and western Riverside County experts in family caregiving, we at Visionary Care Consultants have a lot of experience in coaching folks like you through the ins and outs. Give us a call at 619-228-3584 to learn more.