5 Year, 103 Hospital Study

Data on the number, model and size of disposable sharps containers used in the previous 12 months, and the Average Daily Census for that period, was obtained from 103 US hospitals between Jan 2004 and Jan 2009.

Data was gathered on weights of the disposable sharps containers when empty, the number and weight of cardboard cartons in which the sharps containers arrived, and the average weight of sharps contents when containers were 75% full.

The data was collated to determine annually per 100 occupied beds (OB) the:

• number of disposable sharps containers used;
• total weight of discarded plastic (sharps containers + contents);
• proportion of total weight contributed by the disposable containers themselves;
• tonnage of cardboard waste,
• number of sharps containers exchanged when hospitals convert to the reusable Device.

Daniels ran successful trials with the Daniels Sharpsmart containment system in all 103 hospitals studied. The Sharpsmart reusable containment device is FDA 510(k) certified for 500 uses and arrives at the healthcare facilities in reusable transporters. The Device is designed to eliminate container-plastic and cardboard waste from the sharps waste stream and, through larger volume collectors, decrease the staff resources required to exchange containers.