Pawlenty signs Gardner’s Safe Sharps Management bill into law
Posted on 02. May, 2010 by Chris Dohman in Bills, Health, State Legislature
Governor Tim Pawlenty signed the Safe Sharps Management bill HF1372 / SF1323 into law late Friday. Rep. Paul Gardner 53A of Shoreview is chief author of the bill which goes into effect January 1, 2011. The law will require sharps manufacturers and distributors as well as public health agencies and clinics that participates in a needle exchange program, to publish information via their website how they support the safe handling and disposal of sharps products.
The information published must include a description of the actions, if any, taken by the manufacturer to do the following:
- provide for the safe collection and proper disposal of sharps
- educate consumers about safe management and collection opportunities
- support efforts by retailers, pharmaceutical distributors, local governments, health care organizations, public health officers, solid waste service providers, organizations representing patients who use sharps, and other groups with interest in protecting public health and safety through the sale, collection, and proper disposal of sharps.
“Sharps” is defined as:
- discarded items that can induce subdermal inoculation of infectious agents, including needles, lancets, scalpel blades, pipettes, and other items derived from human or animal patient care, blood banks, laboratories, mortuaries, research facilities, and industrial operations
- discarded glass or rigid plastic vials containing infectious agents.
