A Guide to Managing Sharps Safety in Schools

Are you in charge of waste disposal at your school? If you are, there’s a chance that you’re struggling with one aspect of medical waste removal — and that’s none other than sharps safety.

Sharps safety in schools is the first line of defense against needle prick injuries and the infectious diseases that result from them. Given its importance, even small volumes of used needles, lancets, or EpiPens classify as regulated medical waste under Delaware law.

If your school has a nurse of internal clinic that generates sharps waste, you need to follow approved procedures for storage, labeling, training, and disposal. Failing to do so doesn’t just pose health risks but also opens the door to regulatory violations.

Luckily, we’re here to provide you with a straightforward guide on school sharps disposal.

Follow our guide and be a step closer to eliminating sharps waste, health hazards, and regulatory penalties.

Delaware’s Sharps Waste Regulations Apply to Schools

In Delaware, schools that generate sharps (even occasionally) must follow the state’s medical waste disposal regulations. These laws are enforced by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), which classifies any used sharps as infectious waste.

As a school administrator, you’re expected to maintain appropriate containers, secure waste storage, and keep records of how sharps are handled and removed.

Failing to do any of the above will result in a penalty for your school.

Important: Use Approved Sharps Containers

The container you choose can make or break your disposal system.

Per state and federal laws, sharps containers for schools must be puncture-resistant, leak-proof, and labeled with a biohazard symbol. Most importantly, they need to be placed somewhere accessible and secured — often inside the school clinic or nurse’s office.

Improvising with everyday plastic containers is not only unsafe, but it also violates state and federal transport guidelines. When you use the correct container, you reduce the chance of accidental injury and ensure pickups go smoothly.

Build Safe, Repeatable Handling Procedures

Clear procedures are essential for preventing mistakes. Used sharps should be disposed of immediately — never set down or recapped. The container should remain close to where medications from sharps are administered, and staff must know how to recognize when it’s time to seal and replace it.

No disposal plan works without people following it. If staff aren’t sure what to do with a used needle, the system fails before the container’s even full.

For this reason, establishing repeatable procedures is just as important as choosing the right equipment.

Prepare for Sharps-Related Incidents

Even with good planning, accidents happen, and you need to be prepared for when they do.

In Delaware, every school should have a response protocol in place for potential sharps injuries, including:

• Immediate wound care and access to medical support

• Internal reporting and incident documentation

• Parent or guardian communication, when student injuries are involved

• Safe cleanup procedures to address any contamination
  

Don’t wait for an incident to find out what your team doesn’t know. Review your response plan periodically and make sure staff feel confident putting it into action.

Train Your Staff and Stay Up to Code

Most mistakes happen not from negligence but from uncertainty. If staff don’t understand proper disposal methods (or if they’re unsure what’s required), they’re more likely to make decisions that create risk.

For this reason, training is one of the most important components of sharps safety.

What Sharps Safety Training Should Cover

When it comes to training that helps your staff manage sharps in schools, there are certain topics that need coverage. Essential topics in any sharps training program include:

• How to identify and handle sharps safely

• Where and how to dispose of used sharps

• Recognizing full containers and sealing them correctly

• Understanding sharps waste management regulations for schools
  

Where To Get Training on School Sharps Disposal

There are numerous providers in the state, but when in doubt, look no further than Choice MedWaste.

With our Choice MedWaste services, we offer flexible training and compliance guidance for Delaware schools. We help administrators create clear policies, educate support staff, and document compliance efforts.

Whether you’re building a program from scratch or updating an outdated system, we’ll make sure you’re aligned with state expectations and fully prepared for inspection.

A Med Waste Removal Partner Who Understands Schools

At Choice MedWaste, we tailor our services to meet the realities of school environments.

We provide:

• Sharps containers sized for clinics, nurse stations, and first aid rooms

• Secure, compliant pickups scheduled around school hours

• All necessary manifests and documentation for state and federal compliance

• Guidance on system setup, labeling, and waste area design
  

Our team supports schools throughout Newark and across Delaware with solutions that are safe, simple, and built for education settings.

Build a Safer and More Compliant Sharps Disposal System Today

Sharps safety in schools starts with your staff — and ends with a reliable waste management process that keeps everyone protected.

If you’re ready to streamline school sharps disposal and improve your compliance strategy, we’re here to help.

Get in touch today and let us handle your sharp waste to keep your school safe and compliant.