Is mailing medical waste really legal?
Yes. In 1994 (and updated in 2003), the US Postal Service created a stringent standard for mailing these products to allow patients and generators of medical waste to mail it directly to an approved incinerator for proper disposal and documentation. The Penn MedWaste Sharps Mailback Program adheres to these strict standards and can be mailed from your home or any US Post Office.
Who should have these types of containers?
Employers. Sharps waste is regulated by both the State and Federal governments. Any employer who generates medical waste should utilize regulatory compliant sharps disposal and destruction methods. Home self injectors. Individuals who self-inject must properly dispose of their sharps to protect family and community members from risk of injury and infection. EPA Guidelines on proper destruction by homeowners can be found at www.epa.gov.
What goes in a sharps / medical waste container?
It varies state by state, but generally they describe needles, syringes, lancets, scalpels and other sharp objects contaminated with blood or bodily fluids; gauze pads or other absorbent material that when squeezed would drip bodily fluids; used spill cleanup kits and employee protective apparel used in the cleanup.
If my state requires a contract or tracking documentation, can I use your system?
Yes. The tracking document in the mailback system will qualify as a contract for all customers, and the returned copy is the certificate of destruction.
How does the mailback system work?
The system is very simple and confidential. Here is an overview of how it works:
- Receive the product in 3-5 days after placing your order.
- Remove the sharps container from the package. KEEP THE BOX. This is your postage-prepaid return box.
- Use the container until 3/4 filled. (Complete system instructions are provided with your order).
- Close the lid on the container securely and package according to instructions provided with the system.
- Give the box to your postal carrier, take it to the nearest post office, or call for a priority pick-up (the box is pre-paid).
- Remember to reorder a new mailback system before closing, sealing, and mailing the filled container.
