Choosing the Right Sharpsguard Sharps Disposal Containers

When storing and disposing of sharps such as needles, syringes, and medical tools, using the right containers is essential for ensuring that the safest possible treatment of waste is carried out. The Sharpsguard sharps containers and waste bins have been specially designed to meet the required standards for the disposal of medical waste. This handy guide will help you assess which containers will be right for you.

Conforming to BS and ISO Requirements

The Sharpsguard containers and bins have been manufactured to conform to various standards to help guarantee that the highest quality of containers are provided for waste disposal. Different ranges have been designed to meet the requirements of specific standards, and it is important that you find the right ones for your country. 

For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the containers have been designed to conform with either BS 7320:1990 'Specification for sharps containers' or BS EN ISO 23907:2012 'Sharps injury protection - Requirements and test methods - Sharps containers'. Both of these standards have set guidelines to ensure a higher level of disposal safety.

For Scotland, the containers conform to the Scottish Health Technical Note 3 (SHTN 3): NHSScotland Waste Management Guidance. By complying with SHTN 3, the containers offer a more reliable method of sharps and waste disposal for medical environments in Scotland.

Who Can Benefit from the Waste Containers?

If the container is required in public areas, those with rotary chambers, such as the Extra Yellow 8.5L Sharps Container can provide extra security to prevent any incidents or injuries from occurring. There are also containers designed for more discreet use, which is the case with the Pocket Black Needle Exchange Sharps Bin. Whatever your requirements, you can find a container that meets your disposal needs.

To make it easier to find the range for your individual requirements, the containers have been colour coded for easier identification.

Orange for Non-Contaminated Sharps

The orange containers are ideal for the disposal of sharps that have not been contaminated by medicinal waste. For Scotland, this waste is for disposal via the orange stream, and for the rest of the UK the disposal is to be carried out by incineration.

Yellow and Blue for Contaminated Sharps (Excluding Cytotoxic/Cytostatic Waste)

When disposing of medicinal waste via the yellow stream in Scotland, the Pharmi Com-Plus 1L Waste Container for Scotland features a label and blue lid for accurate identification. The rectangular shape is also ideal for storing away before use, helping to ensure that there can always be a container at hand for immediate use.

Purple for Cytotoxic and Cytostatic Waste

When waste and sharps have been contaminated by cytotoxic or cytostatic waste, they must be disposed of separately from other healthcare waste. The containers with the purple lids help to signify this with the inclusion of a label indicating that they contain infectious substances.

Sorting and Transporting Waste

The approach to sorting sharps for storage and disposal can also be enhanced with the use of trays such as the POUDS Community Tray for Sharpsguard 1L Sharps Containers. This enables contents to be sorted out inside the tray to reduce the risk of injury from sharps and needlesticks. It can also be easily wiped down in between use for improved hygiene, which will be essential when handling potentially contaminated items.

Safer Disposal for Sharps and Waste

The Sharpsguard sharps disposal containers and waste bins offer products to suit the needs of any hospital, clinic, and medical centre. This reliable range of containers has been designed to adhere to a wide variety of requirements.

Whether you are looking to remove sharps from the building or relocate contaminated waste, you can be assured that you will be able to store, transport, and dispose of your medical waste safely and with ease.

You can view the full range of Sharpsguard disposal containers and waste bins here.