Introduction
Whether it is in the nurse's office with a specialized healthcare needs
student, the health clinic, or the staff restroom, providing a viable method
for safe containment and disposal of sharps such as needles, syringes and
lancets is essential to protecting students, employees, and the public.
The Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® is manufactured by Sharps Compliance,
Inc., the industry leader in mailback medical waste disposal. The System
represents an innovative collection and disposal method pioneered specifically
for the generator of small quantities of medical waste, such as schools.
Product
Overview and Description
Every year over 3 billion sharps are used to manage medical conditions
at home, work, or while at school. Improper handling and disposing of
these sharps can lead to needlesticks not only for those using them, but
for anyone who may find them, including janitorial staff and garbage collectors.
These needlesticks can result in diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and
C, and syphilis. To keep sharps out of the trash, and therefore prevent
needlesticks, proper disposal is needed.
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An all-in-one "as-needed"
system…both the sharps collector AND the sharps disposal in one
system; purchased and disposed of as needed |
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Complies with all
federal, state and municipal regulations |
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Reduces handling
of medical waste |
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Eliminates expensive
or unnecessary pick-ups by medical waste haulers |
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Does
not require a contract |
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Convenient, timely
and reasonably priced |
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Transported via
the U.S. Postal Service |
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BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN
CONSULTING, POLICY AND PROCEDURE DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING |
Sharps Compliance believes
education is the key to its customers' regulatory compliance. For that reason,
the consulting division of Sharps Compliance provides a variety of products
and medical and safety services to a broad national customer base including
schools and colleges.
Services
offered include:
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Medical waste management
and minimization programs and training |
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Custom and fill-in-the-blank
OSHA manuals and training |
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Facility audits |
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Compliance seminars |
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Policy and procedure
review, development, and enforcement |
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Writing for publication |
Sharps utilizes the nation's
best regulatory compliance experts to provide high quality consultation,
education and training to our customers. Their consultants are known across
the nation and recognized as industry experts.
Product
Use and Procedure
The Sharps Disposal by Mail System® consists of a special sharps container
not only designed to hold sharps and other medical waste, but also constructed
to withstand shipment through the mail. Regular sharps containers are not
as sturdy and therefore must not be mailed. The Sharps Disposal by Mail
System® consists of a:
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variety of sizes
of containers, from 1 quart to three gallon, to multiple pack configurations |
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government-approved
return box, with the permit number clearly displayed |
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3-millimeter bag
liner |
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4-part simplified
tracking form |
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and certified proof
of destruction |
Waste is conveniently transported
to the Sharps permitted disposal facility by the United States Postal Service
in compliance with all federal, state and local regulations. The Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® can be used anywhere in the United States.
This complete, all-in-one service is included in a single purchase price.
There are no hidden costs or minimum monthly fees. No transportation, environmental
or record management fees. The system is simply purchased on an as-needed
basis, with no contract required.
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Order
the System
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Deposit
sharps and other medical waste into sharps container. Close lid
securely when ready for disposal.
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Complete
our simplified tracking form and keep Generator Copy
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Follow
enclosed instructions; place in postage pre-paid return box. Give
to mail carrier or take to Post Office
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Container
is transported to Sharps' own treatment facility.
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Electronic
proof of destruction is available for your records.
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Features
and Benefits
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Confidential |
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One fee for containment,
disposal, and documentation of sharps disposal |
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No contracts required |
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Convenient and
easy to use |
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Approved for use
in all 50 states |
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Control of the
waste remains at the individual institution |
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Other parties are
not involved. There are no outside waste haulers coming into the school
to pick up waste |
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No need for custodial
staff to ever handle sharps containers |
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Proof of waste destruction
is available online |
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Complies with all
state and federal regulations |
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Consultative support
regarding OSHA and state medical waste regulations is available |
Frequently
Asked Questions
| Q: |
Is
it really okay for the Mail Carrier to pick-up and transport this
waste? |
| A: |
Yes. A U.S. Postal
Service permit number is printed on the front of every return box
allowing these boxes to be mailed (e.g. USPS-035U). This number is
your assurance that the company is approved by the postal service,
and therefore allowed to mail medical waste. Sharps Compliance, Inc.
and the U.S. Postal Service have partnered to provide this service
since 1994, and can assure customers that the Sharps systems meet
or exceed all mailing requirements.
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| Q: |
Why
can't needles/syringes be thrown in the trash? |
| A: |
The Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require that sharps be deposited
in a sharps container that complies with OSHA regulations. Once that
container is full, it must be disposed of according to state and federal
regulations and guidelines. In addition, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) has updated its guidelines recommending that even needles
generated by non-regulated facilities and home injectors NOT be thrown
into the trash, even if they are placed in a plastic container. Mailback
sharps disposal is one of the EPA alternatives included on their website.
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| Q: |
How
long can I keep the Sharps Disposal by Mail System® container
once it's filled? |
| A: |
Each state has specific
regulations for generators of medical waste. Most are very similar,
but a few have special mandates. For instance, if schools fall under
your state's medical waste regulations, you may have limits on the
length of time your sharps or other regulated medical waste can be
stored. Storage requirements for the Sharps Disposal by Mail System®
are no different than storage requirements for any other methods of
medical waste collection and disposal. Contact Sharps Customer Support
for your specific state requirements at 800.772.5657.
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| Q: |
I
understand I have a cradle to grave liability for my medical waste.
Where does my waste go? |
| A: |
Your waste is destroyed
at Sharps' fully permitted waste treatment facility, which houses
a U.S. Postal station used exclusively for processing the Sharps Disposal
by Mail System® packages. Copies of permits are available upon
request from the Sharps.
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| Q: |
How
do I switch from my current method of disposal to the Sharps Disposal
by Mail System® …what do I do with existing non-mailable
containers? |
| A: |
You can order our
5-gallon Sharps Disposal by Mail System® to mail in your smaller
containers; or you will need to schedule a final pick up from your
existing waste hauler for your existing sharps disposal containers.
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| Q: |
Is
it was possible to get an empty box to dispose of my existing sharps
containers? |
| A: |
No.
The reason why nurses can not just purchase an empty container is
the entire disposable system has to be "permitted" by the
US Postal Service, meaning not only the mailing box, but the sharps
container. 99% of the current sharps containers are made of polypropylene,
which is not "permitted" for US Postal mailing. The Sharps
brand containers are made of polyethylene and have been approved by
rigorous testing to be mailed in the boxes. The Sharps Disposable
by Mail System meets all US Postal Service requirements, the entire
system (box and container). THE SOLUTION: You should purchase
the three or five-gallon container, and put all of your old sharps
in it and utilize the Disposal by Mail System. Many nurses choose
this for the convenience of mailing and the comfort that it has been
disposed of properly with all documentation compliance and they
get a free "drop cone" package.
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| Q: |
What is the potential
cost of a needlestick in a school?
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| A: |
The following are
potential costs the school district could encounter if they had a
needlestick accident.
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Post-exposure
testing and follow-up….........................$3000
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Payment of
employee during testing………………………..?
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Holding of
blood if baseline testing refused…………….$300
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Post-exposure
medications for HIV testing……………$2000
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Testing of
source (if known)…………………………….$1000
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Lifelong medications
if 1 disease is contracted.…$25K/year
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Liver transplant
(may be needed if hepatitis B or C is contracted)…………..………………………………..$500,000
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OSHA fines………………………………………Up
to $70,000
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Lawsuits…………………………………………….……Millions
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| Q: |
How
do I get the FREE drop cone package? |
| A: |
Click
here to view the details of the FREE drop cone promotion! When
you order item #90-579, 90-580 or 90-581 you will receive 6 drop cones
FREE (a $15.95 value).
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| Q: |
Why
should I get involved in doing this, when it has not been an issue
in my school in the past? |
| A: |
The following are
a few reasons why you should consider using the Sharps Disposal by
mail System.
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3% of US population are self injectors
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A
school with 200 students, faculty and staff would statistically
have 6 self-injectors
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Billions
of needles are discarded into the trash each year by self-injectors
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The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines on needle disposal
have changed. You must have a method of disposal other than
the trash.
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Technical
Specifications
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Item#
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Case
Quantity
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Description
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90-576
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12
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Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 1 Quart PRO-TEC® Container Capacity:
approximately 50-70 1cc syringes
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| 90-577 |
18
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Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 1 Gallon PRO-TEC® Container Capacity:
approximately 210-230 1cc syringes
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90-579
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12
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Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 2 Gallon PRO-TEC® Container Capacity:
approximately 440-460 1cc syringes
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90-580
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8
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Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 3 Gallon PRO-TEC® Container Capacity:
approximately 700-720 1cc syringes
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| 90-581 |
1
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Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 5 Gallon Mailback Container for disposal
of red bag waste and other sharps containers. May not contain loose
sharps. |
Articles
/ Sales Brochure / Manual
Click here
to view the SH sales brochure on the product line.
Attached is the Sharps
flyer on the 5 Gallon system. Click
here to view.
Warranty
Products are guaranteed to be free
of defects.
Legislation
The SHARPS DISPOSAL
BY MAIL SYSTEM® complies with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, National Institute of Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines, Department of Transportation regulations,
Environmental Protection Agency guidelines, all state and local medical
waste regulatory agencies, and is approved by the United States Postal
Service for transport through the mail.
Recent News from the EPA Website at www.epa.gov/epaoswer/other/medical/sharps.htm
EPA's
New Information about Disposing of Medical Sharps
Improper management of discarded needles and other sharps can pose a health
risk to the public and waste workers. For example, discarded needles may
expose waste workers to potential needle stick injuries and potential
infection when containers break open inside garbage trucks or needles
are mistakenly sent to recycling facilities. Janitors and housekeepers
also risk injury if loose sharps poke through plastic garbage bags. Used
needles can transmit serious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis.
Mail-back
Programs are an EPA suggested National Solution
Sharps users place their used sharps in special containers and return
the container by mail to a collection site for proper disposal. This service
usually requires a fee. Fees vary, depending on the size of the container.
Check with your health care provider, pharmacist, yellow pages, or search
the Internet using keywords "sharps mail back." These products
are available through School Health.
Customer Testimonials
and Example Uses
Hundreds of schools have already
adopted the Sharps Disposal By Mail System®. Sharps Inc. supports
the National Association of School Nurses at the national conference and
selected state meetings.
Other Information
Additional information is available at www.safeneedledisposal.org
and www.sharpsinc.com.
Other websites of interest
might be:
Sharps
Regulated Guidelines by State
Product
Ordering Information
| SH
Catalog # |
Product
Name |
| 90576 |
Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 1 Quart PRO-TEC® Container Capacity |
| 90577 |
Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 1 Gallon PRO-TEC® Container Capacity |
| 90579 |
Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 2 Gallon PRO-TEC® Container Capacity |
| 90580 |
Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 3Gallon PRO-TEC® Container Capacity |
| 90581 |
Sharps
Disposal by Mail System® 5 Gallon PRO-TEC® Container Capacity |
| 90636 |
6/
box Sharps Drop Cone |
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