There are many reasons why you need needles. And when you need to administer medication using needles at home, it is important that you dispose of it in a safe and secured manner. 

Disposing Needles In A Safe Manner 

So, how not infect others when using needles at home? Here are some of the things you have to make sure you take note of to ensure safety. 

• Buy sharp container

There are sharp containers available in the market to purchase. You can buy them either from a pharmacy or from your doctor. These sturdy containers can ensure that sharp needles will not poke out of the corners or sides of the container. 

If you do not want to spend any more dollars to buy these sharps containers, you can just improvise used detergent bottles. Most of the time, these detergent bottle containers are thick enough to prevent needles from pricking it. 

If you choose the second option, it is highly recommended that you label your bottles with highly visible letters of the word SHARP. This way, the garbage collector will not attempt to open it. 

• Dispose of the needles right after use

Once you are done using the needle, dispose of it immediately in the container then seal the cap right after. When storing it, put it in a high or hidden place far from children’s sight and reach. 

There are some who will try to cap the needles as they think that it is the safer way to dispose of needles, but actually, it is not the case as it may just cause accidents if they do that.

Even if you were able to seal it right, if the container can be found within sight of children, there is a chance that they will open the lid and spill all the needles in it. 

• Once it is 3/4 full, immediately seal the lid using a tape

Every time you will put a needle in the container, give the container a sneak and see if it is already 3/4 full. If it is, then seal it immediately using tape. You would not want to wait until it is 100% filled as that won’t be safe for you anymore. 

Make sure that it is well sealed and reopening it is almost impossible. 

Do not be too complacent when it is sealed, you still have to keep it away from children until the time you can throw it away completely out of the house. 

• Proper disposal is the key

Needle disposal can be done in many ways, but calling your local waste management is a must to verify if it can go directly to trash or it should be disposed of in a different manner.

If your local management declines to accept your sharps, you can call hospitals or clinics, as some of them collect such rubbish for proper disposal. 

If neither of the two work, you can search on the internet for disposal sites particularly for sharps. 

Whatever option you consider, when disposing of sharps even if they are well sealed in containers should be labeled. You have to write legibly to avoid anyone from getting mislead. Some companies even offer door-to-door pick-up of sharps, and if you find one like that, it is highly recommended that you hire them for convenience.