Avoid injury by properly disposing of sharp objects

In the last year, several Western Washington University employees have been injured by used needles that were improperly discarded.

Environmental Health and Safety would like to remind the campus community that used needles, razor blades or other sharp items should always be discarded in an appropriate sharps container. No one should be injured because needles used for medical reasons or other very sharp objects are improperly thrown away.

What to do: Before discarding broken glass in a waste container, place in a protective cardboard box. Used needles or other sharp items such as razor blades should be placed in a plastic bottle or jar.

If your department would like a small biosafety waste container for incidental disposal of these kinds of items, please contact the Environmental Health and Safety office at 360-650-3064 or ehs@wwu.edu. Should you have one of these containers that is full, please contact EHS for proper disposal.

Thanks for your help in keeping Western safer.