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Frequently Asked
Questions
Biological Waste Topics
Can unused syringes (unopened package) be disposed in normal trash?
No, all syringes
whether used or not must be disposed of in a sharps container.
Where do I obtain red bags labeled with the generator's name and
address to use for College-generated biological waste?
For areas on the main campus that
are serviced or managed by the College’s Housekeeping Services
Department (A-E, LBRC, S, Kipps Bay, WGC, Whitney, Oxford) red
bags for regulated medical waste can be obtained by contacting
Housekeeping Services at (646) 962-9947 (ext. 1-9947
internally). These bags come pre-printed with the College’s name
and address to be used for College-generated biological waste.
The sizes available from the College are:
- 23” x 24” Red Bag Liner
- 33 x 40” Red Bag Liner
For areas on the main campus
that are serviced by NYP Housekeeping (areas within NYP
buildings), red bags can be purchase through
NYP General Stores. You can order in person in Room AN-007
or by phone at 746-1961. The three types of red bags that are
available through General Stores are:
- 117018 BAG LINER RED 15 X
9 X 24 WC 500 EA/CA (5923XHRP)
- 147900 BAG LINER RED 30 X
36 WC 250 EA/CA (AD13036RPCP)
- 125745 BAG LINER RED 39 X
48 WC 100 EA/CA (D13948RPC)
For areas that are located off
campus (425 E. 61st Street, New York Blood Center, etc.) red
bags for regulated medical waste should be obtained from the
service provider that is removing the waste from the facility.
These bags must be properly labeled with the generator’s company
name and address prior to leaving the facility.
How do I
request an additional sharps container?
To request an
additional sharps container, please use the
Sharps Collection Request Form.
Complete the Contact Information section of the form. In the
comments section, write the number and size of sharps containers
you need. The click the submit button. You will receive an email
confirmation of your request.
How do I
request a collection for sharps containers?
To replace
sharps containers at no cost, submit an online
Sharps Collection Request Form.
Complete the Contact Information section of the form and specify
the number of large, regular, or small sharps containers to be
replaced. You will receive an email confirmation of your
request. An empty container will be left for each full container
collected.
How do I
request additional sharps containers?
To request
additional sharps containers at no cost, submit an online
Sharps Collection Request Form.
Complete the Contact Information section of the form and specify
the number of large, regular, or small sharps containers
requested in the comments section. You will receive an email confirmation of your
request.
When are sharps
containers collected?
WCMC areas other
than the Weill Greenberg Center (1305 York Avenue): Sharps
containers are collected and exchanged on Wednesday and
Thursdays of each week. An online
Sharps Collection Request Form
must be submitted by Tuesday at 5:00PM to be collected that
Wednesday and Thursday.
Weill Greenberg
Center (1305 York Avenue): Sharps containers are
automatically collected and exchanged on Tuesdays of each week
for all known sharps container locations
What sizes
of sharps containers are available?
Information about
the available sharps containers can be seen at the
Sharps Collection Request Form.
Can I
schedule routine sharps container collections?
In order for EHS to
ensure all collection requests are completed in a timely manner,
an online
Sharps Collection Request Form
must be submitted for each collection. Collections submitted by
Wednesday at 5:00PM are collected that Thursday or Friday.
How do I dispose of
sharps at home?
Proper disposal of household
sharps, (e.g. needles, syringes, lancets) prevents exposure to
children, pets, and sanitation workers and protects the health
of the environment. Based on guidance from both the New York
State
Department of Health and
Department of
Environmental Conservation, the following steps should be
taken to properly dispose of household sharps:
- Place all unwanted sharps
into a sharps container which can be purchased from your
local drugstore.
- Do not flush used sharps
down the toilet or place loose sharps in the garbage or
recycling containers
- Do not bend, cut or re-cap
used sharps as this represents an unnecessary risk of
injury.
- If you do not have a
sharps container, place sharps into a plastic bottle that
cannot be broken or punctured, such as a bleach or laundry
detergent bottle. Write "CONTAINS SHARPS" on the outside of
the bottle, and seal the cap closed with tape. You should
place sharps into the appropriate container as soon as you
use them to prevent exposure to others in the home.
- Once full, bring the
sharps container to a safe disposal site - do not place the
sharps container in the normal trash or recycling. Please
refer to the Department of Health's list of safe disposal
sites in New York, which is available on
their website or by calling their Growing Up Healthy
hotline at (800) 522-5006 or TTY: (800) 655-1789. The
Department of Environmental Conservation also provides
guidance on
their
website.
Similar guidance is available
for residents of
New
Jersey and
Connecticut.
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