A Complete Guide to Sharps Containers

Sharps containers are commonly used across the health care industry to dispose of needles, syringes, and other materials that can pierce or cut the skin. These containers are also commonly used in the homes and workplaces of individuals who require them for disease management. While these sharp instruments are essential, they can pose a risk to others when not properly disposed of.

Between 1995 and 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calculated that 41% of all needlestick injuries occur after use, and 22% occur due to improper disposal or during the disposal process. For this reason, appropriate sharps disposal containers are essential to maintain the safety of healthcare workers, patients and others. In this guide, we will discuss sharps containers in detail, explaining what they are, how to use them and which options are available so you can make an informed decision before purchasing a product.

What Is a Sharps Container?

A sharps container is a hard plastic bin used in medical facilities to dispose of sharp medical instruments safely. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), sharps disposal containers must have the following characteristics to ensure safety:

• Made with heavy-duty plastic
• Leak-resistant
• Closed with a fitted, puncture-resistant lid
• Upright and stable
• Properly labeled with a hazard warning

While the above sharps disposal container requirements are standard, sharps containers can be of various shapes and sizes to meet different medical facilities' needs and for prioritizing patient safety.

What Is Considered a Sharp? 

Using the FDA's definition, a sharp is a device with sharp points or edges. Typically, a sharp is designed to cut or puncture the skin and is used at home, at work and in medical facilities to manage medical conditions for people and pets. 

Some typical examples of sharps include the following: 

• Needles: These are hollow metal points that inject medications under the skin.
• Syringes: Syringes are devices with needles that inject medication or withdraw fluids from the body.
• Lancets: Also known as "fingerstick" devices, these instruments have a short, two-edged blade that pricks the finger to get drops of blood for testing.
• Auto-injectors: These devices are syringes pre-filled with fluid medication for self-injection. Common examples include epinephrine and insulin pens.
• Infusion sets: This is a type of tubing system with a needle used to deliver medication.
• Connection sets: Connection sets are tube sets with needles used to transfer fluids to and from the body. These are commonly used in hemodialysis.

Sharps also include other devices that can pierce or cut the skin, including razor blades, scissors, metal wires, pins, staples and glass items. All of these devices and materials should be disposed of using a safe needle disposal container located throughout your healthcare facilities.

Where Can I Buy a Sharps Container?

The next question for anyone looking into sharps disposal is where to buy a sharps container. Fortunately, there are numerous resources to turn to. You can find sharps containers through several suppliers, and the FDA offers a list of products and companies they have cleared. If you're looking for a sharps waste disposal bin for your facility, you can find a range of options through Mercedes Scientific — simply browse our catalog to explore our sharps containers for sale.

What Are the Different Kinds of Sharps Containers?

There are hundreds of types of sharps containers, which differ in various ways. One of the most significant variations is the type of lid and entry system. Some of the most common types of sharps container lids are detailed below:

• Hinge cap: Hinge caps are lids that the user opens and snaps closed with each sharp disposal. When the container is full, the hinge cap allows for final closure. While simple, this lid varies widely in shape and size, sometimes limiting the types of sharps you can dispose of. It also requires the user to physically open and close the container with each use, making it more appropriate for locations with smaller sharps disposal needs.
• Horizontal entry: Horizontal entry sharps containers feature an opening with a horizontally oriented entrance. This allows sharps to be placed into the container with a horizontal orientation. This horizontal drop system maximizes container volume while also allowing for a wider entrance that enables you to dispose of larger sharps safely. 
• Mailbox lid: A mailbox lid is a variation of the horizontal entry system. This opening features a hinged lid that closes the horizontal opening when the container is not in use and locks for final disposal. This system features all the benefits of the horizontal entry system with the additional feature of extra safety.
  
  

• Always-open lid: This is another variation of the horizontal entry system with an opening that has an always-open lid. The lid is angled to prevent people from touching sharps and provides an extra barrier without requiring the user to open a lid. While less protected, this entry system provides the benefit of quick and easy access.
• Side-entry: Side entry lids feature a slot that only allows sharps to go in through one side. This effectively prevents unwanted access to the inside of the container and limits the size and type of sharp that can be disposed of.
• Foot-operated lids: Foot-operated lids are also an option for easy access and disposal. These types of lids are found on larger sharps containers for facilities with greater sharps disposal needs.

Sharps containers also vary widely in design features. Some examples include the following:

• Color and opacity: Sharps containers come in a range of colors. In the United States, most containers are red and feature a biohazard sticker. However, white, green and other colored sharps containers are available. Sharps containers are also available with walls that vary in opacity — more transparent walls make it easier to see how full the container is so users can judge how soon it should be replaced.
• Stackability: Sharps containers can be stackable or non-stackable. Stackable containers will often be advertised as such, as these nestable bins are easier to store in large quantities.
• Shape: Sharps containers come in a range of shapes and sizes to meet specific space needs. Most larger-capacity containers are rectangular, but smaller models are often rounded.
• Wall enclosure: Some sharps containers are built into the wall. These mounted enclosures secure sharps containers, keep counter spaces clear and prevent access to contents in high-traffic areas.

When selecting the right type of safe needle disposal container for your application, be sure to consider what your unique needs are and how the features will fit those needs. To view and compare the different types of sharps containers available, browse the Mercedes Scientific catalog.

What Are the Different Sizes of Sharps Containers?

FDA-cleared sharps waste containers come in a range of sizes to meet the needs of users and facilities. Sharp bin sizes range from less than a quart to several gallons of volume. Smaller sizes are appropriate for travel and home use, and larger sizes accommodate large medical facilities' needs. For reference, a one-quart bin holds up to 500 needles or 36 insulin syringes.

To determine the size of the sharp or syringe waste container you need according to best practices, determine the answers to the following questions:

• How much sharps waste do you accumulate, and how quickly?
• How often do you change containers?
• What is the largest sharp you use?

The container size you choose must have enough room to store sharps safely between container changes. It must also have a lid large enough to accommodate the largest sharps you use.

Sharps Container Guidelines

In addition to knowing the various types of sharps containers and which ones suit your applications, it is essential to know sharps container regulations and guidelines for use. Of course, needles and various other sharps should be placed in a sharps disposal container immediately after use to decrease the chance of cuts, needle sticks and other physical harms caused by loose sharps. However, it is also important to know how to manage sharps containers appropriately for maximum safety. Some guidelines are outlined below.

What Do You Put Into a Sharps Container?

Sharps containers should only be used to dispose of sharp objects used for medical purposes or in a medical environment. Some examples of what can be put into sharps containers include the following:

• Needles
• Syringes
• Lancets
• Auto-injectors
• Infusion sets
• Connection sets
• Scalpels and other blades
• Wires
• Glass pipettes
• Broken glass and plastic

What Does Not Go in a Sharps Container?

Sharps containers are reserved for items that can puncture the skin. Some examples of what doesn't meet the disposal requirements and should not be put into a sharps container include the following:

• Medication and wrappers
• Tape, bandages, gauze and alcohol preps
• Aerosols and inhalers
• Paper trash
• Exam gloves
• Batteries
• Cauterizers
• Non-sharps regulated medical waste, like chemical or radioactive waste

When working in a medical facility, ensure staff are properly trained in what can and cannot be put into a sharps disposal container and where non-sharps regulated medical waste should be disposed of.

How Full Should a Sharps Container Be Before Emptying?

Overfilling sharps disposal containers significantly increases the risk of accidental needle-stick and cut injuries. Most sharps disposal containers come with a marked line or another indicator system that shows when the container is full. Typically, a sharps container is full when it reaches three-quarters of its capacity. Once the bin reaches this limit, it is time to follow guidelines for proper disposal.

How to Properly Dispose of a Sharps Container

Once a sharps container has reached two-thirds to three-quarters capacity, secure the lid to seal the container in preparation for disposal. Once this is done, write the date and any other required information on the sharps container's side. From there, the sharps container should be disposed of using local disposal guidelines and programs. States will allow up to 30 days to dispose of sharps waste correctly, though this time limit varies based on the state and region.

Where Can Sharps Containers Be Disposed Of?

Sharps disposal guidelines and programs vary widely depending on the location. Below are a few common services that may be available:

• Medical drop boxes and collection sites: Some regions offer collection sites for sharps disposal. These are often doctors' offices, hospitals, emergency services facilities, pharmacies, health departments or medical waste facilities. Depending on the region, disposal services at these sites are free or require a small fee.
• Hazardous waste collection sites: Some household hazardous waste collection sites will take medical waste, though this depends on local guidelines. 
• Residential waste pickup: Some communities provide residential pickup services for special types of waste. These services send trained waste handlers to collect medical waste from your home. Most of these services require a fee and have guidelines for the types of containers they will collect.
• Mail-back programs: Certain types of sharps disposal containers can be mailed to a collection site for disposal. Mail-back programs typically incur a fee for each container sent back, with the fee varying based on the size and type of container.

Always check with local trash removal services and health departments to determine what disposal methods are available in your region.

Alternative Sharps Disposal Containers

If you cannot find a designated sharps disposal container, you can use a heavy-duty plastic household container as a substitute. The best recommendation is a liquid laundry softener or laundry detergent bottle with a lid. It must have a lid that can avoid leaks, and it should be able to sit upright without falling over. Do not use other household containers like milk jugs, water bottles, clear plastic or glass containers or soda cans, as these are prone to puncture or shatter. 

If you need to use an alternative sharps disposal container, always dispose of the sharp point-first and close the container immediately afterward. If the container becomes full, seal it with duct tape and label it clearly as a sharps disposal container so it is not put in with the normal trash or recycling.

If you cannot find a sharps disposal container, or the one you have is beyond capacity, there are some temporary measures you can take if an alternative is not available:

• Recapping: If the needle has a cap, place the cap back on the needle and avoid touching it.
• Needle clipping: A needle clipper is another option if a cap is not available. Using a needle clipper, cut off the needle from the equipment. This is an option for syringes, but not lancets. 

Both of the above measures are temporary, and you should dispose of the needles and sharps in an appropriate sharps container at the earliest opportunity.

Choose Mercedes Scientific for Sharps Disposal Containers

If you're looking for sharps waste containers for your facility, Mercedes Scientific has a range of options to choose from.

Based in Florida, Mercedes Scientific is dedicated to serving the laboratory, research and scientific communities with top-quality products and excellent customer service. We maintain excellent pricing for the industry while also delivering options that suit our clients' unique needs.

To learn more about sharps waste containers for sale or discover more information on our other product offerings, contact Mercedes Scientific today.