Hesperian Health Guides
Appendices
Contents
Get Rid of Wastes Safely
Every time you examine a person’s mouth, fill a cavity, or extract a tooth, you are left with some waste. For example, used cotton or gauze, disposable needles and syringes, plastic gloves, and other materials must be thrown away. But do not put them in the trash. These wastes carry germs and can spread infections to you and to people in the family and community. Wear gloves when you touch wastes, and get rid of them carefully.
How to dispose of sharp wastes
Sharp wastes must be put into a container so they will not injure anyone who finds them. A container made of metal or heavy plastic, with a lid or tape to close it, works well.
When the container is half full, add 5% bleach solution, then seal it closed and bury it deep in the ground.
Make a box to dispose of needles safely
Find a metal or hard plastic box. Make a long hole in the lid of the box that is wide on one side and gets narrower on the other side.
When you have finished using a disposable syringe, put the needle into the box and slide it down to the narrowest point.
Then pull up on the syringe and the needle will fall off into the box. The plastic syringe can be disinfected and thrown into a waste pit (see below).
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solution into the box, seal it closed, and
then bury it deep in the ground.
Other wastes
Other wastes, like plastic gloves, syringe barrels, or cloth soaked in blood, should be disinfected and then buried deep in the ground. You can disinfect them by soaking them in bleach for 20 minutes.
WARNING! Do not burn plastic gloves, syringes, or any other plastics. Burning plastic wastes is dangerous — when plastic burns, it makes smoke and ash that is very poisonous.
Burying wastes
Find a place away from where people get their drinking water and away from where children play. Dig a safe waste pit to bury wastes.