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Previous by Date: Subject: Re: Syringe Disposal Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:56:13 -0700 Author: Russell Vernon |
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et al,
There's a difference between syringes/hypodermic needles for any medicinal
purpose and similar ones which cannot have come into contact with human/ani
mal body fluids.
There's necessarily a real concern about transmission of blood-borne pathog
ens from medically-used hypodermic needles and that's why for political and
public health reasons we have "Universal Precautions" which always were co
mmon sense anyway for medically-used syringes/hypodermic needles. S
ome of these blood-borne pathogens are deadly and no innocent person coming
across them on a beach or as a custodian in an airport or educational inst
itution or elsewhere should get a life-threatening medical condition becaus
e they were just enjoying the beach or doing their job. There are m
ethods described for proper disposal of such hypodermic needles. I'
d suggest anyone interested go to the CDC website and look under "Universal
Precautions" and "Medical Waste" for more information.
For syringes and needles that have been used for laboratory purposes and ha
ve not been in contact with human or animal body fluids, then fr
om a physician/medical toxicologist perspective, if you throw them in the
regular trash, someone who is prone to self-inject illicit drugs intrave
nously or otherwise might come across them and the conditions of sterility
(and what chemical residuals may still be in syringes) are rather un
iversally ignored. Even if they are syringes without needles
, they could be diverted. Better to incinerate the whole hootenan
y or deal with medical waste however your institution does it "in complianc
e with all federal, state, and local regulations" in "MSDS-Speak".
Alan
Alan H. Hall, M.D.
Medical Toxicologist
In California the legislature in its infinite wisdom (und er the influence of the tourism industry) declared all unwanted hypodermic needles as =91medical waste=92 no matter what they have or have not been us ed to do
This after bags of medical waste washed up on beaches in San Diego after they were discarded from cruise ships=85
J
-Russ
Russell Vernon, Ph.D.
russell.verno
n**At_Symbol_Here**ucr.edu
www.ehs.ucr.edu
(951) 827-5119
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS
-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Williams, Mark
Sent: Tuesd
ay, June 15, 2010 9:07 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subj
ect: [DCHAS-L] Syringe Disposal
Hi All,
We use syringes to deliver solvents. Some of the syringes have needles, some do not. None contain any biohazardous substance, but the solvents would be hazardous waste if disposed of.
*For syringes without needles, if they are empty when di sposed of, can we consider each syringe to be a RCRA empty container and throw them in the regular trash?
*What about empty, non-biohazardous syringes with needles?
I have done a little searching on this issue, but have n ot come up with definitive guidance.
Thank you
Mark Williams
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS
-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of DCHAS-L automatic digest system
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 12:01 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UV
M.EDU
Subject: DCHAS-L Digest - 13 Jun 2010 to 14 Jun 2010 (#2010
-144)
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