Page 20 - Aug242023

The Midwest Cattleman · August 24, 2023 · P20
HOW TO HANDLE AND DISPOSE OF SHARPS

AND UNUSED VACCINE PRODUCTS

By Lisa Moser, Kansas State Research and Extension

If you’ve ever reached into The sharps
the knife drawer and gotten container is
an unexpected poke from where veteri-
a sharp object that wasn’t narians place
stored properly, you know used objects
how easily it is to hurt your- including nee-
self. dles, blades,
In much the same way, nee- glass tubes
dles used to deliver animal and anything
products can also be a risk to else that can
humans if they are not han- puncture a
dled properly, said the veter- person’s skin,
inary experts at the Kansas said K-State
State University Beef Cattle veterinarian
Institute on a recent Cattle Brad White.
Chat podcast. “A true
“Removing the needle from sharps con- A sharps container
safely stores
the syringe is the most com- tainer has a lid medical waste.
mon point where someone on the top and
could get an inadvertent nee- companies will
dle stick,” said K-State veter- pick them up
inarian Brian Lubbers. “For or you can talk
that reason, we recommend to your local
that if the needle is attached veterinarian
to a small plastic syringe or local hos-
that both are put in a sharps pital to see how they handle Lubbers also offered that with a reusable syringe, then
container for medical waste.” medical waste,” White said. folks can use a thick plastic use a pair of pliers to make
gallon jug to make a sharps sure there is an instrument
container. between you and the needle.
“Put a small amount of Don’t recap the needles be-
bleach in the container and cause that is when the sticks
then fill it about three-quar- happen,” Lubbers said.
ters full (with disposable The other issue that beef
products) before taking it to producers and veterinarians
the place that handles med- deal with on occasion is man-
ical waste disposal,” Lubbers aging unused, expired vac-
said. cine or antibiotic drug prod-
He said there are also ucts.
products on the market that “Reach out to the manufac-
can be added to the jugs to turer and see if the company
harden the materials so there will allow you to return them
isn’t a puncture risk and then for disposal and perhaps get a
the jug can be disposed of as partial credit,” Lubbers said,
regular waste. “It is important not to dump
If you must handle the nee- them out, especially antibiot-
dle, Lubbers advises using a ics, because of what can be re-
tool to pull it from the syringe leased into the environment.”
and to avoid recapping the He said if producers don’t
needle. know how to reach the man-
“If you are using a needle ufacturer, it is best to start
with their vet-
erinarian for
guidance.
If the product
has been com-
pletely used,
then Lubbers
said it can be
disposed of as
regular waste.