How Mailing Medical Waste Is Changing the Industry
Mailback sharps containers are getting increasingly more popular around the United States. Sharps recovery kits are a safe, easy way to collect and properly dispose of waste that can be dangerous if stored and disposed of improperly. Approved mailback medical waste containers, like The SafeSendAway kit, have everything needed for the collection, storage, and shipping of sharps. Mailback sharps kits are shipped through the United States Postal Service.
Any medical waste, not just sharps can be disposed of with mailback medical waste containers. Regulated medical waste is defined as both red bag waste and sharps waste. Sharps and red bag waste (those saturated with blood or certain other body fluids) must be compliantly handled, contained, stored, shipped, and treated following all local, state, and federal regulations. Mailback medical waste systems must be USPS authorized. All biohazard sharps recovery systems must include a primary collection container (like the sharps containers included in the Solutions, Inc. SafeSendAway kits), prepaid postage, a pre-addressed return shipping box, components to package for transport, and a waste manifest tracking form. The most user-friendly sharps recovery system on the market is the Solutions, Inc. SafeSendAway system, as it provides very easy to understand instructions as well as all necessary components and comply with all local, state, and federal regulations. Additionally, it uses an online tracking system for each kit and autoclave the waste once returned.
Since the early days of regulated medical waste, facilities have had to either dispose of biomedical waste onsite using an autoclave or have medical waste haulers pick up their waste and haul it away for disposal. For some small quantity generators this is very expensive, as they have been charged just as much as facilities that generate far more waste. Customers get locked into contracts where they agree to weekly, bi-weekly and monthly service, which is more frequent than they actually need, thus wasting money. These small and medium quantity generators have been looking for ways to reduce their medical waste bills by always looking for different haulers and trying to avoid contracts. Many of these same generators are now purchasing as-needed mailback service, as there are many different mailback options to fit their needs and save them money.
Healthcare facilities are not the only places that generate medical waste. Veterinarian clinics, tattoo parlors, acupuncturists, home healthcare providers, diabetics, and other self-injectors also generate biohazardous waste. All of those generators are great candidates for mailback service, as they generate far less biomedical waste than most healthcare facilities. Most businesses are aware of the different options to dispose of needles, sharps, and other medical waste and realize that the proper handling of sharps waste is vital to keeping their employees, customers, and community safe.
Unfortunately, much of the general public is unaware of the danger that personal medical waste can pose to our sanitation workers, children, pets, or anyone exposed to common household waste. Imagine the danger a used needle from an unknown source poses when it pokes through a garbage bag. With a rising number of Americans self-injecting medication at home, the risk of needles and syringes being improperly disposed of is increasing at alarming rates. Proper management of these materials work to prevent the spread of infectious disease.
Everyday, sanitation trucks around the country are subjected to the hazards of:
- Infectious waste
- Sharps
- Pharmaceutical waste
Solutions, Inc. has been instrumental in educating companies on how to better protect their employees, partners, and the general public by taking steps to ensure the proper disposal of needles and other medical waste that often ends up in the regular trash. Across the U.S, residents, commercial office buildings, retail stores, gas stations, and schools are purchasing the SafeSendAway Mail Back Sharps System in an effort to get needles out of their trashcans.
All public buildings and businesses should invest in some sort of sharps container to accommodate the many self-injectors around the country. Sharps containers should be found in all public restrooms, regardless of the type of business or facility. Mailback systems are perfect for any type of business. The goal of these containers is to make every environment a safe one. Mailback containers are an easy, safe option for medical waste disposal and the more subscribers to this service (or regular pickup service), the safer the environment is for all of us.
View our SafeSendAway™ Mail-back solution from SharpsAway™
