Non-hazardous sharps are items that pose a physical hazard due to their sharp nature but are free from contamination by hazardous materials such as infectious agents, chemicals, or radioactive substances.
Examples include clean lab glass, unused needles, or clean razor blades
These items must still be handled with care due to their potential to cause injury, even though they are not contaminated with hazardous substances. Proper disposal in puncture-resistant containers is essential to ensure safety.
Disposal Procedures
Does your lab glass meet any of the following criteria?
- Potentially contaminated with hazardous materials
- Contains trace amounts of extremely hazardous chemicals
- Contains fixed tissues
- Cannot be defaced
If yes, submit your glass as hazardous waste. For more information and to submit, visit: Hazardous Waste Disposal.
Lab Glass Recycling Guidelines
All clean, empty lab glass, including broken glass, can be recycled by following these simple steps:
Important Safety Note:
- Do not mix sharps with the lab glass—this box should only contain glass items.
Preparation:
- Ensure the glass is clean and empty. If the containers held chemicals, triple rinse them and collect the rinse as hazardous waste.
- Remove or deface any hazardous labeling or identifying markers on the containers.
Boxing for Recycling:
- Place the clean lab glass in a sturdy, sealed box labeled "Lab Glass for Recycling."
- Any intact cardboard box will work, including commercially available broken glass boxes, as long as it can safely hold the contents for disposal by custodial staff.
Disposal:
- Once the box is 2/3 full or weighs around 15 pounds, seal it and place it in the corridor for daily pickup. Avoid overloading the box to ensure the safety of the custodians
Large Quantities:
- If you have more than 15 pounds or multiple boxes, submit a Facilities Service Request for assistance with disposal.
Non-hazardous medical sharps, including unused items like needles, scalpels, and lancets, can pose a safety risk to the public and should never be disposed of in regular trash. To ensure proper safety measures, these sharps are treated as hazardous chemical waste.
For detailed disposal instructions and further information, please visit: Sharps Contaminated with Chemical Waste Disposal.
Non-hazardous blades, such as razor blades, box cutter blades, knives, or scissors, can be disposed of in regular trash if the sharp edges are securely covered or placed in a sturdy, puncture-proof container. This precaution ensures the safety of custodial staff and waste handlers.
Commercial blade disposal boxes are acceptable, provided they are puncture-proof and free of any hazardous labels.
Important: Red biohazard sharps containers are strictly prohibited from regular trash disposal.
Non-hazardous pipettes can be recycled or disposed of in regular trash. However, care should be taken with pipette tips to ensure they do not pose a puncture risk when handling waste bags. If there's a risk of puncture, pipette tips, such as serological pipettes, should be placed in a cardboard box or other sturdy container to ensure safe disposal.
Recycling Resources
The following resources on pipette recycling are provided for your convenience but are not officially endorsed by us:
- GreenLabs Recycling collects pipette tip boxes.
- Polycarbin offers closed-loop lab plastic recycling, including a mail-back service or on-site collection.
- Visit LabConscious for more information: https://www.labconscious.com/laboratory-recycling.
