As students and teachers gear up to head back to school, it's important to consider the health and well-being of those in the classroom who live with diabetes and other illnesses that require self-injectable medications. Five to 10 percent of Canadians with diabetes are living with type 1 diabetes and 90 percent of Canadians with diabetes are living with type 2 diabetes, according to the Canadian Diabetes Association. Furthermore, there are millions of Canadians living with prediabetes, highlighting the need for support services for those managing diabetes while attending school.
As more people are taking self-injectable medications for common conditions such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and diabetes, it becomes crucial for educational institutions to provide a solution that addresses the health needs of all individuals on campus. Installing sharps waste containers in easily accessible locations for students, teachers, and staff —such as restrooms— can offer a safe, convenient, and anonymous way for individuals to discard any needles they are using.
Proper sharps disposal is not just a matter of personal convenience; it also helps protect janitorial staff from potential bloodborne pathogens (BBP) transmission that can occur if uncapped needles are discarded in the regular trash rather than in a puncture-resistant sharps container. Educational institutions in Canada can seek a trusted partner that provides quality services for sharps disposal in public spaces, like schools.
Accessible Sharps Disposal Solutions for Schools
Trusted partners like Stericycle offers sharps disposal solutions for the convenient, and anonymous disposal of used needles. Through our Sharps Management Service, Stericycle offers a safe, efficient, and sustainable solution utilizing reusable containers and streamlines the collection and disposal of sharps waste with the following features:
- Seamless Installation
- Full-Service or Self-Service Container Exchange
- Tracked at Pick-Up
- Safely and Compliantly Transported
- Recorded for Compliant Treatment and Disposal
- Washed and Disinfected
- Quality Inspected
- Safely and Sustainably Reused
Stericycle also offers a disposable sharps solution. Our single-use sharps solution allows you to easily manage sharps waste with your biohazardous waste disposal, safely, and compliantly.
In addition, Stericycle understands the unique challenges faced by educational institutions when it comes to managing medical waste. That's why Stericycle provides customized solutions tailored to the specific needs of each facility, whether it be a local community school district or a large university or college. Moreover, this type of initiative contributes to the corporate social responsibility of institutions, as it supports the well-being of individuals in their communities.
Placing sharps disposal containers in public restrooms offers peace of mind by providing safe and convenient access to sharps disposal, even when away from home. Many individuals who require self-injected medications, such as those with diabetes, prefer the privacy of restrooms to administer their treatments discreetly and safely.
Learn more about Stericycle’s wide range of reusable and single-use sharps containers and service options tailored to your facility type and size, to help staff and students safely dispose of used needles and other sharps.
