Medical waste that originates from your household is considered Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). This consists of sharps, medicines, and controlled substances. Handling medical waste carefully is very important in order to prevent someone else from getting pricked or sick. Not to mention, it is very important to keep medicines and controlled substances from contaminating our drinking water supply.
Other types of medical waste from hospitals, home stays, and doctor’s offices are not considered HHW and therefore need to be handled differently with a removal service in place.
Why not just put it down the drain?
Disposing medicine down the drain or toilet can cause chemicals and toxins to pollute our environment, especially our ground water supply which can contaminate our parks, drinking water, farms and more.
How should I handle and dispose of my medical waste?
Sharps
Sharps can go in the trash, BUT they must be in a puncture proof container with a lid and be properly labeled. Try using a detergent bottle with a cap and label the bottle with tap so it is visible to those who handle it after you. Please don’t jeopardize other people’s health because of your carelessness.
Medicines
Pills, vitamins, prescription drugs, and any liquids (cough syrup, eye drops) should not be put or poured down the drain. It is very difficult for the waste water treatment plant to remove many of the chemicals that are in pharmaceutical drugs. The water makes its way into our rivers, fish, ground water supply, and eventually our oceans.
Medicine should be crushed, wetted, and disposed of in the trash so it cannot be used.
Controlled Substances
Heavily regulated prescription or non prescription drugs should be treated like medicine and never put down the train or in the trash.
Controlled substances should be crushed, wetted, and disposed of in the trash so it cannot be used.
