Tuesday nights are reserved for playing cards with the GOB’s (Great Old Biddies) The youngest in the group is 72 and the oldest is 93. Recently they just found out they can’t throw ‘Sharpies’ (syringes) in the trash. Two of the women don’t drive and another two use needles for diabetes. They don’t know what to do with their needles, and don’t have a close location to dispose of them. Then coincedently I was in an airport club in Dallas and surprise in one of toilet stalls they actually had a ‘Sharp’ disposal on the wall!
Medical Sharps are banned (California- Sept. 2008) in trash and recycling bins. Other states will probably follow as medical hazardous waste is becoming a huge issue. Sharps include needles, IV tubing with needles attached, scalpel blades, lancets, glass tubes and slides, and syringes. It also includes needles used for giving your pet shots.
I Just Gotta Tell Ya :
- US residents use needles and syringes to inject themselves more than 3 billion times per year
- 1 out 12 household includes someone who uses hypodermic needles and syringes.
- 250 Million pounds of medication is flushed by Medical Groups (into our waste stream)
This got me to thinking- is there an opportunity for the unemployed? What if you offered Free Sharp Disposal Service in your neighborhood? Went online to Earth 911- then to CIWB (California Waste Management) to see where the closest disposal units where. The closest is 12 Miles from my house. Here I live in a retirement community surrounded by at least 6 other ‘retirement’ living residences. Plus- what about all the Doctors within my area. HMMM!
Is this an opportunity? I don’t know, but after speaking with the GOB’s, they might be interested in pickups, especially those who do not drive. But before you do start to launch an new business, check out the laws in your city, county and state to find out if this opportunity can work for you.
More Reading
To Find out Where to Dispose of Medical Sharps in your Area:
- Earth 911
- Coalition for Safe Needle Disposal– Good resource to find out more about safe needle disposal and locations.
- Mail Back Sharps Disposal- Our mailback sharps disposal systems have been independently tested for safety andapproved by the U.S. Postal Service. Each of our systems is assigned a unique permit by the USPS allowing us to receive sharps and some medical waste through the Mail.Sharps waste will be destroyed by an EPA compliant facility in accordance with all federal, state and local regulations; and a destruction manifest will be sent to you for your records.
- North American Syringe Exchange Program
Where to Find Medical Sharps Disposal Containers
- American Corporation Services
- BD
- Stericycle