New Reusable Sharps Containers

In manufacturing medical containers we have a duty to protect our employees by providing an ergonomic and safe workplace. This idea stands behind every design and every concept of a medical container which needs to provide both the 100% usability and safety for those who handle it. When it comes to sharps containers, things couldn’t be any different.

Since their development in 1979 when Frontier Plastics Ltd, a UK based manufacturer acknowledged the need of a special container for the safe disposal of clinical sharps, these medical containers have been reshaped and redesigned many times, to meet the engineered medical device standards of today.

Nowadays we live in a world where plastic waste will soon take the place of our forests and oceans and in order to prevent that, the single use sharps containers have been dethroned by the reusable ones. Starting with 1986, the reusable containers with built-in safety devices such as trays and locking devices are used worldwide to help dispose of used medical needles and other sharp medical instruments.

As with IT&C components, the world of medical devices is bombarded with “upgraded” and times improved medical containers. News about breakthrough reusable sharps containers spread like wildfire especially when they come with revolutionary features. This time we’re talking about Rehrig’s FDA approved 510(k)-cleared Class II medical device, in other words the reusable sharps container TS model. Designing and manufacturing this type of medical containers comes from the desire to help healthcare facilities achieve higher quantifiable efficiencies with more sustainable operations. This is the main reason why Rehrig Healthcare, a division of Rehrig Pacific Company has designed the SharpsTank®.

What makes the new sharps container from Rehrig different from all the rest? First of all it completes the sustainability loop between generation and disposal. Designed for hospitals, clinics, physician offices, dental offices, laboratories, veterinary offices, and other areas as well, this sharps container is a 4.9-gal medical container with an integrated lid and a flusher that once secured in place will allow the user to safely transport it and dispose of the medical waste inside. This new reusable sharps container comes with a restrictive mail chute designed to keep waste inside and all the device components are injection-molded using polycarbonate plastic. The container is delivered fully assembled, so you don’t need to have technical skills or be a specialist to use it.

Apart from this, it has other features that allow every medical operator to use it in maximum security conditions by avoiding any contamination risks. The minimal moving parts, reinforced handles, smooth interiors for easy cleaning, and textured exterior surfaces for easy adhesive labels removals are another handful features the new TS model comes with. Handling reusable sharps containers has never been easier with the new model from Rehrig due to the accessories that make this process a lot easier.

How does the new TS model Rehrig Healthcare work? In order to deposit used needles, syringes and other medical supplies all you need to do is to add them into the mail chute. The mail chute allows the needles to drop into the container, without needing to enter your hand into the container. This way your hands and fingers are away from the danger of being contaminated by human error.

Another plus of this innovative sharps container is the ease of disposing of the medical waste. When the used sharps content reaches the fill line, the flusher is pushed to its locking position, so that nobody can overfill the container with extra waste. Once the flusher is locked and secured, the lid is close the SharpsTank Model TS can be safely transported to the medical waste disposal where it is washed for sanitation and send back to a medical facility for reuse. Simple as that. The manufacturer has designed this model for 600 cycles in a reusable environment.

SharpsTank Model TS also features antimicrobial additives, a side hinged main lid for wide access, sub-lid for restricted access, see-through sub-lid to monitor fill capacity, two position latches for each lid, reinforced handles for easy and secure maneuver, bag holders and a smooth interior. This innovative sharps container opens the door to a new and upgraded medical technology, being DOT approved and OSHA compliant as well. Designed for efficient collection, transportation and storage of large and small sharps, the SharpsTank Model TS is also cost-efficient and sustainable.

Its great external dimensions of 12.5” x 20.0” x 25.9” (31.8cm x 50.8cm x 65.8cm) make it the perfect disposal container for areas with restricted space. The optional features make it the complete sharps disposal. These options include a 4-wheeled molded dolly and a metal foot pedal dolly with locking wheels for convenient hands free operation perfect for clinical environments.

In one word, SharpsTank Model TS from Rehrig Healthcare is the medical container of the future that brings together technological advancements and work safety.