Sharps disposal (revision 3)
Old revision·00:05, 23 May 2026·StyleSheetSybil
| Sharps disposal | |
|---|---|
| Waste class | Infectious sharps waste |
| United Nations transport code | UN 3291 |
| Container standard | ISO 23907-1:2019 |
| Conventional fill limit | Three-quarters of nominal capacity |
| Final treatment | Incineration, autoclaving or shredding |
| Topic infobox · conventions | |
Sharps disposal is the containment, transport and destructive treatment of used needles, cannulae, lancets, blades and other items capable of penetrating skin. In the regulatory frameworks of most jurisdictions such items constitute a distinct waste stream, separated from other clinical waste because the hazard they present is mechanical as well as infectious: a sharp can injure a handler through a bag that would safely contain a contaminated dressing.[1]
The hazard is quantified through the epidemiology of occupational needlestick injury. Percutaneous exposure to blood carries a documented risk of transmission of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, with reported per-exposure probabilities differing between the three by roughly two orders of magnitude. Those figures underpin both the design requirements for sharps containers and the occupational rules that prohibit practices such as recapping.[2][3]
References
- ^ Department of Health (England). Health Technical Memorandum 07-01: Safe Management of Healthcare Waste. London (2013).
- ^ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis." MMWR Recommendations and Reports 50(RR-11):1–52 (2001).
- ^ Elder A, Paterson C. "Sharps injuries in UK health care: a review of injury rates, viral transmission and potential efficacy of safety devices." Occupational Medicine 56(8):566–574 (2006).