Safety Tip: Sharps Containers

One of the many things I love about the windshield repair industry is that we generate very little waste. However, we do use razor blades to scrape cured resin from the glass, and some of us use syringes to load our injectors. Delta Kits one shot syringes do not include needles, and do have a replaceable protective cap, so they really are not dangerous, but it has recently come to my attention that Oregon and other states now have laws pertaining to proper disposal of syringes, even those without needles.

You may already be using a Sharps container to safely dispose of razor blades, but I find that most glass repair technicians are still throwing syringes in the garbage, which is now against the law in most, if not all states. Sharps containers can get expensive, but the good news in Oregon is that they will also allow the use of gallon bleach jugs and the like. All they ask is that they are marked as SHARPS and when full take them to the local landfill. Unlike fluorescent bulbs, computers, etc., so far, they are not charging for the disposal of these items, they just want to make sure they do not go into landfills loose.  Visit www.safeneedledisposal.org, to check your state and local laws.