Calif. vets encouraged to spread the word about new sharps law

California

-- The California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is encouraging veterinarians in the state to advise clients of changes to the state's home-generated sharps waste (HGSW) law.

The new law took effect Sept. 1, and makes it illegal to dispose of HGSW in the trash or recycling bin. Sharps must now be transported in an approved sharps container to a collection center. HGSW includes hypodermic, pen and intravenous needles, as well as lancets and other devices used to penetrate the skin for the delivery of medications to either humans or animals.

Clients whose pets are diabetic or require any kind of blood testing or regular injection should be aware of the law change, and the CVMA says veterinary hospitals could offer to sell sharps containers to clients for collecting their HGSW. But, the CVMA cautions, hospitals should not accept any HGSW for disposal unless they are an official "home-generated sharps consolidation point," which would require compliance with state code specifications.

Veterinarians are encouraged to direct clients to state-approved consolidation centers, which can be found here.