Blade Disposal

[Ray Von]

Over the years I've used up a fair few scalpel blades, craft knife blades and other assorted nasty pointy things. 

My chosen method of disposal is to take a rinsed and dried out drinks can (clearly labelled "SHARPS BIN" and with the ring pull rotated round 180 degrees over the opening) and use this to pop any used blades etc in, I've never actually filled one of these cans, but every now and then I put the whole thing into the recycling - I pinch the can midway and fold it over, so nothing sharp can find it's way out and cause injury.

Does anyone have a better way of disposing of potentially dangerous sharps?  I'm assuming I'm not being reckless doing it my way?

[Gilbert]

I use an empty syrup tin with a replaceable lid which I take to the recycling siteperiodically and put it in the metal skip. I tend to mention  it to the staff on site but they are not bothered as I assume  once its in the skip it does not get handled by real people again?

[Ray Von]

6 minutes ago, Gilbert said:

real people

[newbryford]

I thought I'd seen a similar topic before..... read on and you'll see someone saying that it isn't a good idea to mix metals.......

 

But - my recycling bin is labelled for the disposal of tins - regardless of steel or aluminium, as well as glass and most plastics.

So I'll continue putting mine in ally cans.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by newbryford

[Steamport Southport]

Don't chemists take "sharps"?

 

They used to do and I'm 99% sure they still do.

 

 

 

Jason

[Ray Von]

25 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

Don't chemists take "sharps"?

 

They used to do and I'm 99% sure they still do.

 

 

 

Jason

Will they accept any old sharps though?  I can understand used hypodermic needles etc - but craft knife blades aren't clinical waste and are no more hazardous than any other household recycling (in my region glass and metals share the same bins.)

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by Ray Von
Typo

[Il Grifone]

I have various slotted containers marked "USED SHARPS" and shove the blades etc. inside when they are past their prime.

I've always wondered what to do with the containers....

[cypherman]

Hi all.

I have found that by taking a small hammer to the sharp side of the blade and hitting it a few times it takes the edge off it. Or if it is being a bit stubborn I run my dremil with a grinding wheel across it works well. Then it is safe to dispose of.

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, Ray Von said:

Will they accept any old sharps though?  I can understand used hypodermic needles etc - but craft knife blades aren't clinical waste and are no more hazardous than any other household recycling (in my region glass and metals share the same bins.)

 

 

They should take blades as they are medical items. You just put them in a sharps bin.

 

Obviously I'm not talking about Superdrug type places but I used to buy Swann Morton blades from the local chemist. They were actually one of the few places you could get them. Why do you think they are sold in sterile packaging?

 

https://www.medisave.co.uk/consumables-general-supplies/single-use-instruments/scalpels-blades/shopby/manufacturer-swann_morton.html

 

If you're really worried about them you can get a sharps bin for £1.46.

 

https://www.medisave.co.uk/sharsguard-yellow-05-ltr-sharps-bin-single-p-102112.html

 

 

Jason

[Ben Alder]

You should be able to get the non sterile packed ones from model shops and plenty on eBay.

 

[wasdavetheroad]

As a diabetic I have a lot of needles and lancets which I use a yellow medical sharps bin for. I also put my modelling scalpel and knife blades in there. Certain local pharmacies accept them, not all though, the nearest one is half a mile away. The bins seal when full so they can't look inside. I imagine they eventually go straight into a furnace. Check your local government site for a list of participating pharmacies.

[Erixtar1992]

My be an obvious thing but if buying stanley blades, get ones that come in the plastic dispensers, keep it and then put the old knackered ones back in before throwing away

[Derekstuart]

I use sharp blades at work on occasions and I found that the local environmental health department was very good, telling me what I could do and where I could dispose of them.

Although as it was for work I had to register as a waste carrier to take the small box of sharp blades to the tip (for a special recycling box). Other areas may differ, but ours is really good for recycling- as long as they aren't for medical use!

[Fat Controller]

You could simply put used blades between two bits of corrugated cardboard, and wrap round with parcel tape. 

[Phil Parker]

 I use one of these: https://www.slecuk.com/accessories/swan-morten-scalpel-blades/blade-remover-box

[Ray Von]

Regarding the "Medical Waste" angle, irregardless if you buy them sterile - the moment the seal is opened and the blade is handled, and unless it becomes contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids, the blade is not clinical waste - it's simply a sharp piece of metal that looks like clinical waste.  I would argue that disposing of "clean" blades at a chemist or similar is only putting a needless amount of logistics and work in their system.  

Edited October 20, 2020 by Ray Von
Typo

[New Haven Neil]

10 hours ago, wasdavetheroad said:

As a diabetic I have a lot of needles and lancets which I use a yellow medical sharps bin for. I also put my modelling scalpel and knife blades in there. Certain local pharmacies accept them, not all though, the nearest one is half a mile away. The bins seal when full so they can't look inside. I imagine they eventually go straight into a furnace. Check your local government site for a list of participating pharmacies.

 

Snap.  There had to be some advantage in this horrid condition!

[Ouroborus]

29 minutes ago, Ray Von said:

Regarding the "Medical Waste" angle, irregardless if you buy them sterile - the moment the seal is opened and the blade is handled, and unless it becomes contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids, the blade is not clinical waste - it's simply a sharp piece of metal that looks like clinical waste.  I would argue that disposing of "clean" blades at a chemist or similar is only putting a needless amount of logistics and work in their system.  

 

You're correct.  They also pay per unit to dispose of the sharps bin.  I wouldn't mind a few blades here and there and 'necessary' paperwork would be ignored, but if it became a lot or a regular thing, I'd be a little less sympathetic.

[Captain Kernow]

11 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

If you're really worried about them you can get a sharps bin for £1.46.

I have had something similar for many years. I get through scalpel blades quite quickly and yet my sharps bin still has a great amount of space left in it.

 

[Steamport Southport]

4 hours ago, Ray Von said:

Regarding the "Medical Waste" angle, irregardless if you buy them sterile - the moment the seal is opened and the blade is handled, and unless it becomes contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids, the blade is not clinical waste - it's simply a sharp piece of metal that looks like clinical waste.  I would argue that disposing of "clean" blades at a chemist or similar is only putting a needless amount of logistics and work in their system.  

 

How many are you getting rid off?!

 

I reckon if you are going through them on a regular basis then you are possibly using the wrong type of blade for that job. Or even tool.

 

Blunt blades also have a lot of uses for non cutting tasks such as scraping. So it's rare that I've needed to get rid of them.

 

I did find that when I bought a decent pair of sprue cutters I now use a fraction of the amount of blades. Snip! And a quick clean up.

 

 

Jason

Edited October 20, 2020 by Steamport Southport

[stewartingram]

I'm also diabetic, and use Sharps containers. This year I've been taken off insulin & put onto tablets, so my use of the Sharps has dropped dramatically. In addition, twice the local pharmacy had no stock of the normal size, so issued a larger version, which I stashed at the back of my prescription shelf. One has now been rescued and is in the man-cave in the garage , for used blades. But the important thing is, I don't get rid of many. I constantly re-sharpen with an oilstone, so the blades last for ages, before their second life starts as scrapers, wheel cleaners, etc.

Also, my local GP used to take in the full bins. Earlier this year this was going to stop; we were then supposed to order a collection van (at £8 a pop!) to pick them up. Due to the volume of protests it never happenned, but may do eventually.

[Ray Von]

4 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

How many are you getting rid off?!

 Not many in the big scheme of things, and I'm pretty good at using them til they really are fit for nothing(!)

My main concern is disposing of them in a way that assures that they are recycled.

[Hibelroad]

I recently had a course of injections but when I took the full sharps box back to the hospital I was quizzed about where it had come from and I felt they were reluctant to take it. So if hospitals are not helpful in these circumstances I wouldn’t hold out much hope for chemists. Tell the local chemist that you have a box of blades for them and you might end up being tasered ! Personally I just drop craft knife blades in the general waste, they will soon rust in the ground and thinking about it tradesmen must dispose of millions of Stanley knife blades every week. It would be nice if we could recycle everything but the systems are not really in place. 

 

 

[polybear]

27 minutes ago, Hibelroad said:

Personally I just drop craft knife blades in the general waste, they will soon rust in the ground and thinking about it tradesmen must dispose of millions of Stanley knife blades every week. It would be nice if we could recycle everything but the systems are not really in place.

 

When you've built up a collection of blades for disposal simply put them into an empty food can and bend the top flat.  Then into your recycling box for disposal.  Steel blades in a steel tin, so go thru' the recycling process as normal.

[figworthy]

23 hours ago, newbryford said:

But - my recycling bin is labelled for the disposal of tins - regardless of steel or aluminium, as well as glass and most plastics.

So I'll continue putting mine in ally cans.

 

 

Possible problem here.

 

Whilst your (and my) recycling bin takes tins regardless of the metal, in theory further down the road (!) the contents will be sorted into ferrous and non ferrous (magnets are useful for this).  Steel blades in ally tins will mess that up.

 

Adrian