New Law Will Ban Sharps Disposal

A new law signed by Governor Schwarzenegger on July 12, 2006 will prohibit the placement of home-generated needles and other sharps in solid waste and recycling containers. California will become one of the first states in the nation to ban sharps waste from the residential waste stream.

Although the effective date of the ban is September 1, 2008, the Legislature and Governor directed the Integrated Waste Management Board and Department of Health Services to work with local governments and private sector stakeholders to implement convenient mail-back programs and to promote their use prior to 2008.

It is critical that safe and convenient collection systems be established to help the millions of Californians that have diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and other medical conditions that require injectable medicines.

BACKGROUND

Improperly disposed syringes, hypodermic needles and other "sharps" are a serious hazard to our families and community.

U.S. residents use hypodermic needles to inject themselves more than 3 billion times each year. One out of every 12 households includes someone who uses hypodermic needles and syringes. Most used needles end up in the solid waste system, where they pose a grave health risk to anyone encountering them through the course of their work, spills or other accidents. Used needles can transmit numerous blood-borne pathogens, including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, as well as hepatitis B and C.

National statistics indicate that home needle use will continue to increase in coming years as diabetes and other chronic diseases that require self-administration of injectable medicines become more prevalent, as baby boomers age, as health care relies more heavily on out-patient procedures and as more people enter home health care.

A CONVENIENT, SAFE DISPOSAL ALTERNATIVE

While drop boxes, exchange programs and destruction devices offer benefits to certain municipalities or subsets of the self-injecting population, the mailback system is the most universally convenient, confidential option available to communities.

Waste Management, in cooperation with Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) and Sharps Compliance Inc., has introduced the first complete disposal system designed for individuals injecting their medication at home. The Sharps Disposal by Mail System® is a practical, economical way for residents to dispose of their used sharps.

In addition to accepting home-generated needles at household hazardous waste facilities, and designating special “consolidation locations”, many local governments and their local haulers have established or are now considering providing special sharps mail-back programs as part of their overall waste services. These mail–back programs provide postage-paid containers approved by the U.S. Postal Service, work closely with local pharmacies, and offer a safe, convenient and cost-effective option for all who administer injectable medicines.

The Sharps Disposal by Mail System® eliminates the risk of accidental needle sticks by providing home-injectors a special ridged sharps container, a government-approved return sharps mail back box, a protective 3-ml bag liner and a simplified tracking form.

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS

• The Sharps Disposal by Mail System® includes a specially designed sharps container; a government approved exterior shipping box and instructions for use.
• Used sharps are placed inside the container for safe storage.
• When full, the container is closed, bagged and sealed inside its original packaging that includes a postage pre-paid mailing box.
• Residents return the postage pre-paid box to their mail carrier or nearest post office.
• The box is delivered to the processing center where both the sharps container and its packaging are destroyed.
• The receipt and complete destruction of the container and it contents are documented.