Inside: Managing sharps disposal is fairly new for pharmacies just getting into immunizations. Here’s everything you need to know about how to safely dispose of sharps.
If your pharmacy offers—or is looking to start—an immunization program, you’ll need a system to safely dispose of sharps.
While hospitals, doctors’ offices, and long-term care facilities have had disposal systems in place for years, managing sharps disposal is fairly new for pharmacies just getting into immunizations.
As an increasing number of pharmacies administer immunizations, more pharmacies are generating medical waste—and pharmacists might not know the best way to dispose of it.
“Pharmacies need to understand what their options are for disposing of sharps,” said Jan Harris, Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Sharps Compliance, Inc., a medical waste services company. “In no state are you allowed to throw your needles into the trash. Pharmacists need to make sure they’re doing everything right.”
Know your options
Pharmacies typically have two options for safe sharps disposal: a pick-up service or a mail-back company
With a pick-up service, the company comes to your pharmacy, picks up your sharps container, and then transports it to a disposal facility.
“A pick-up service is perfect for a large generator,” Harris said. “But for a pharmacy, it’s a little bit cumbersome and typically expensive.”
A mail-back company makes more sense for smaller generators, like pharmacies, she said. It works like this. You purchase a pre-addressed sharps container from a medical waste disposal company. Then, you fill it up, complete the paperwork that came with the container, and mail it in. It goes straight to the disposal facility.
The benefits of using a mail-back company are significant. You stay in control; there’s no contract to sign; and it’s a convenient and easy process.
Mail-backs are cost-effective for pharmacies because you can purchase containers as you need them, which gives you flexibility as demand for immunizations fluctuates throughout the year.
For pharmacies that use mail-back services, it’s important to keep in mind that some states’ laws limit the amount of time medical waste can stay on-site. So, be sure to mail back the container in a timely manner.
The most common sharps disposal system used in a retail pharmacy, according to Harris, is a two-gallon mail-back container. It’s a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved sharps container that comes in a pre-labeled, pre-paid shipping box.
“It’s a good size, it’s got a handle, it’s easy to store, and it’s easy to bring out for immunizations,” Harris said.
Best practices
Not all states have laws about the storage or handling of sharps containers, but you should still be precise about where you place them.
“Take your container behind the counter, keep it in the shipping box, and put it in a cabinet or an area that’s secured,” Harris said. “To go a step further, put a biohazard label there.
This way, you can be sure that your sharps container isn’t being mishandled and won’t be misplaced.”
When you need to administer a vaccine, take your sharps container with you so you can immediately dispose of the syringe. But don’t forget to put it back in its place.
“Your sharps container needs to have a home, just like your fire extinguisher has to have a home,” Harris said. “You always need to know where it is.”
Educating patients
Besides the need to safely dispose of sharps used in your pharmacy, your patients who use needles will likely ask you how they can dispose of their sharps.
Educate your patients about why they shouldn’t put sharps in the trash, down the toilet, or in the recycling bin. And, help them obtain sharps containers and find safe disposal programs.
The FDA offers information on its website to help patients understand how to properly dispose of sharps. It even features free printable pamphlets, posters, and inserts you can use in your pharmacy.
“You have to have policies on how to help your patients,” Harris said. “Have a solution to help them in your pharmacy, or have an answer for them on where they can dispose of their sharps.”
“The pharmacist is so trusted, probably more than the doctor,” she said. “People expect the pharmacist to be able to help.”
Regulations to know to safely dispose of sharps
If you want to safely dispose of sharps in your pharmacy, you need to know the regulations. “The problem with regulations on medical waste,” said Jan Harris, Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Sharps Compliance, Inc., “is that there are quite a few, and they’re different in every state. But, it’s important to get on board regulatory-wise.”
When going over your state’s regulations, watch out for these important requirements:
1. Are you required to register as a generator?
2. Do you need to maintain a plan for waste management?
3. How, and when, do you complete and sign the manifest tracking form?
4. Are there any specifications for labeling information?
If you’re unsure of where to find the regulations for your state, Sharps Compliance, Inc., offers a state regulatory map with direct links to each state’s medical waste regulations.
And, this website offers resources to help pharmacies and patients understand safe sharps disposal.
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