Most of my scalpel blades end up broken during use, they broken bit then often ends up embedded in my foot 

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. Police station here closed a couple of years ago - still manned but not open to the public. Not sure if we have public toilets locally - I've lived here for 30 years and don't remember seeing any. Moving to Japan not an option. Getting sharps containers is easy (loads on Amazon) but from what I've read they're difficult or impossible to get rid of once full.

The points about other hazards in the recycling box (broken glass, other blades) are well-taken and sensible so I guess I'll go that route. Simple is good, I guess.

I bought my last supply of Swann Morton blades from Amazon. I also bought a sharps box for my used blades at the same time.

Chris

Sharps bins are intended for use in managing the risk of biological contamination, especially in clinical practices. The risk is not that a person might get a cut on their pinky, but that they might get a cut on their pinky from a sharp contaminated with Ebola*! The risks of getting a cut pinky from a sharp contaminated with polystyrene plastics are not yet fully understood, but it's probably bad for the Oceans.


* Other biological hazards are available.

Quote from: RailGooner on September 20, 2019, 11:57:28 PM
Sharps bins are intended for use in managing the risk of biological contamination, especially in clinical practices. The risk is not that a person might get a cut on their pinky, but that they might get a cut on their pinky from a sharp contaminated with Ebola*! The risks of getting a cut pinky from a sharp contaminated with polystyrene plastics are not yet fully understood, but it's probably bad for the Oceans.


* Other biological hazards are available.

Hepatitis B, C
HIV
Although rare, there's also a small risk of other infections being transmitted through contaminated blood, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

I think we can be overcautious in our attempts to protect others. The more we collect, temporarily store, blunt and wrap our old blades the more likely we are to cut ourselves. Direct disposal in household waste will not be a problem because, as others have said, sorting operatives will have the correct protective clothing.

I just went to my local Chemists (Pharmacy) and asked for a sharps bin.  Had to sign for it, but when it's full, I can take it back and get another.  I'm guessing that will be quite some time 'cos I reckon it has a capacity of of about 2 litres.

That's all well and good Trev, if you're using sharps bins for the intended purpose - managing the risk of biological contamination. If not, it's just unnecessary expense heaped upon the NHS.

Definitely over thinking things here! Lots of 'innocent' waste is sharp, recycled or otherwise. Totally agree with Rail Gooner and swisstrains that unless you're in the habit of smearing blood on your blades (more than the odd accidental incident!) then 'ordinary' disposal will be fine.

And if any one gets a cut from a blade in the general rubbish, the cost of multiple blood tests would ( £50)  far outweigh one sharps bin + incineration ( with a 1000 others)

Then by extension we should put cans and glass in sharps bins too.

Quote from: njee20 on September 24, 2019, 05:25:34 PM
Then by extension we should put cans and glass in sharps bins too.

Yes, but the bin man expects tins and glass, not tiny shards of sharpened steel.

I tend to put all sharps in an old vitamin pot, when it's got a decent amount in it goes in the general waste taped shut with 'SHARPS' written all over it.

He's not sticking his hand in for a good rummage around. Whether a sliver of metal off a can lid cuts him or a used blade is pretty immaterial.

I'm not suggesting reckless disposal, but waste is pretty unpleasant in all sort of ways. I'm not sure making the NHS dispose of your blades is necessary.

Bin men have long since stopped handling rubbish, it gets put in a wheely bins by you,  the wheely bins gets rolled to the lorry and loaded by machine.  The lorry goes to the tip and dumps it where it is bulldozed in.  Rubbish is dumped not sorted. 

The recycling bin is carried the same way but taken to the recycling centre and a JCB type machine loads stuff into a hopper.
Only the recycling bin is sorted.
Recycling is sorted on a converter belt, the operatives wear chain mail gloves , magnets pull off the steel stuff.

I too feel that this is a bit of overkill. People (including myself) have been opening cans of baked beans and the like for years and just throwing them in the bin.

You can just as easily cut yourself on one of those!