Safe Disposal of Blades - Question

[Lancashire Lad]

Practising the cutting of sections of fungi gills etc., using scalpels and single edge razor blades, it has become obvious that these blades lose their initial "extreme" sharpness fairly quickly - so they need to be safely disposed of.

I thought that the local chemist might accept them for disposal as "sharps" but no joy there, and am loath to dispose of such blades with the recyclables as they are still very sharp and could easily injure someone at the recycling facility.

I can't think of anything other than putting them in a small tin until such time as it is full, and then taping the lid on before adding them to the recyclables as a "job lot". - Though I'm not convinced that the lid might still not come adrift during processing by the recycling plant machinery - potentially leaving many very dangerous blades lurking in the mix.

Just wondering if anyone has any better ideas on safe disposal?


Regards,
Mike.

[earthdragon64]

How about a local GP surgery or Vets surgery? I have a diabetic cat who needs insulin injections twice daily and my vets take all the used syringes to dispose of them safely.

Regards, Audrey.

[earthdragon64]

Another idea would be school, college or university science departments.

Regards, Audrey.

[Walloon]

I'm not an expert, but I doubt there's a need to be concerned about their safe handling of sharps once they've reached a recylcing plant (provided the blades are not contaminated in some other way of course). Those places must handle hundreds of tons of broken glass, ripped coke cans, kitchen knives, spools of wire...every year, and so presumably have extensive safety practices in place.

[FungiJohn]

Hi Mike

Since these blades are not 'contaminated' as such in terms of public safety you can simply tape the ends with masking tape, place in another container and dispose of in your normal waste bin. You could label this 'domestic' 'sharps' to be safer(r)

John

[waxcap]

I bought a mini "Sharps" box on EBay. It keeps the blades safe at home and the container is marked properly.

Dave

[basquesteve]

Would it not be easier and cheaper even more green to sharpen them, get a razor strop and when truly finished break of the point run a file over them an bin them

How on earth did Hooke manage Common sense is not so common

[htcdude]

I'm sure I've seen bins around this area before that are just for knives and things?? Like the big bins you have for bottles or paper etc.



EDIT: Here's our councils attempt on it:

http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=17425

Maybe see if your council does the same?


Nige

[Lancashire Lad]

My eventual solution was to use a tin of soup.

Instead of using a can opener, I cut a narrow 1 inch slot in the top of the can with the point of a strong kitchen knife.

Then, after emptying the contents, and washing out the can via the slot, I stuck a new label on it:- "Used Blades", and it now sits on the end of my preperation table, always to hand and ready for use.

Once it is full, (which at the rate things are going, I think will take several years), - I can simply bash the slot so that the contents cannot possibly escape, and dispose of it via normal metal recycling means.

Regards,
Mike.

[waxcap]

I like that Mike. A very thoughtful solution.

Dave