(Source: MIRS.news, Published 06/25/2024) Medical facilities would be required to store sharps, such as needles, syringes, scalpels and more, in a special box called a sharps container for up to 18-months or until the container is 75% filled under SB 482 , which passed unanimously with immediate effect. 

Sharps containers are commonly found in public restrooms. The containers are generally used by people with diabetes or others who frequently use sharps like syringes, according to Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen). 

“Replacing a sharps container can be expensive. Low-traffic or rural facilities are constantly frustrated by burdensome requirements that force them to replace sharps containers that may have only been used once or twice,” Roth said. "These pressures can lead to less access to sharps containers in rural areas because of the financial burden of replacement.” 

Under current law, sharps containers must be emptied every 90-days, even if the containers remain near empty. The requirement has led to increased costs for low-traffic facilities, especially sharps container providers in rural areas, who are forced to replace underutilized containers more frequently. 

SB 482 would allow a sharps container to be in place for up to 18-months from the disposal of the first sharps waste if the container is not more than three-quarters of the way filled. 

“By broadening these requirements, we’re ensuring the people who provide access to these containers aren’t wasting money to unnecessarily replace nearly empty containers,” Roth said. “The hope is that people in rural areas will see these changes and decide to offer sharps disposal access because they are no longer frequently required to replace underused containers.”