Sharps can be disposed of in regular trash cans as long as there is a biohazard sign on the trash can.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only if the facility has a designated sharps container
• D. Only when the sharps are fully enclosed

Answer: (B)

Sharps must be placed in a designated, puncture‑resistant sharps container that is leak‑proof, rigid, and closable. A biohazard sign on a regular trash can does not make disposal of sharps compliant or safe. Sharps pose a real risk of needle-stick injuries and infection, so they are never disposed of in ordinary trash streams. When a sharps container is full, it is sealed and disposed of through an approved medical waste system according to local, state, and federal regulations. Even if a facility has a designated sharps container, that container—not the regular trash—must be used for disposal. The idea of disposal being allowed “only when fully enclosed” isn’t the standard practice; the proper method is to use the approved sharps container for all sharps until it is appropriately disposed.