Improperly Discarded Sharps from Home Care Can Be Dangerous

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Many people use needles, syringes and lancets to manage their medical conditions at home. But the haphazard disposal of these devices is putting a lot of others, including waste-disposal workers, housekeepers, family members and children, at risk of injury and serious infections.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 9 million people in the U.S. use sharps at home. Unfortunately many sharps used outside of a doctor's office or hospital are thrown in the household trash, and that's hazardous.

To learn more about how to safely dispose of needles, syringes and other sharps at home, visit:  http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm278763.htm

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