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At home, how do you dispose of your lancets, syringes, and other "sharp" medical waste? |
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Toss them in the trash |
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13% |
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13 |
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Place them in a container (such as a milk carton) and toss the container in the trash |
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49% |
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49 |
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Place them in an approved medical sharps container and toss it in the trash |
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13% |
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13 |
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Place them in an approved medical sharps container and return it to a disposal center |
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22% |
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22 |
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Other |
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4% |
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4 |
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Total votes: 101 |
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At home, how do you dispose of your lancets, syrings, and other "sharp" medical waste?
Poll dates: February 20 - 27, 2013
Total Votes: 101
Disposal of medical waste, such as lancets and insulin syringes, is a problem for many communities. Just over three-quarters of people who responded (79%) indicated that they placed their sharp medical waste in a container before disposal. Old plastic milk cartons are generally fine, but commercial medical sharp disposal containers are often stronger and more resistant to punctures. Many schools require an approved medical waste container for disposal of lancets and syringes.
If you're simply tossing your sharp medical waste in the trash, you may want to check with your waste disposal company or city waste disposal office to be sure you're complying with local regulations.
This table shows how people have responded to this poll over the past several years.
| Answer |
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Feb 2013 |
|
Feb 2012 |
|
Feb 2011 |
|
Feb 2010 |
|
Feb 2009 |
|
Apr 2004 |
|
Apr 2003 |
|
Apr 2002 |
|
Jan 1999 |
| Toss in trash |
|
13% |
|
17% |
|
19% |
|
16% |
|
17% |
|
14% |
|
12% |
|
14% |
|
14% |
| Place in container, then toss container |
|
49% |
|
46% |
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36% |
|
34% |
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36% |
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42% |
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40% |
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38% |
|
40% |
| Place in medical waste container, then toss container |
|
13% |
|
11% |
|
9% |
|
13% |
|
11% |
|
12% |
|
12% |
|
11% |
|
12% |
| Place in medical waste container, then return to disposal center |
|
22% |
|
21% |
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31% |
|
32% |
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30% |
|
25% |
|
29% |
|
29% |
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26% |
| Other |
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4% |
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5% |
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5% |
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4% |
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3% |
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4% |
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5% |
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5% |
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5% |
[Return to the current poll]
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