This redesigned Hypodermic Needle and Syringe Destructor meets recommendations of the World Health Organization. In addition to being easier to clean, the number of needles that can be destroyed has doubled from 100,000 to 200,000 before it requires sharpening or other maintenance.
The needle portion of a syringe is inserted into the top-loading hole of the device. The operating handle is pushed down, rotating a cutting disk that chops the needle into pieces. The same action completely removes the nib from the syringe, rendering it unusable. The debris falls into a disposable covered pot below that can hold the remains of 250 green-hubbed needles.
There is no risk of contaminants or aerosols escaping into the atmosphere because the cutting chamber is automatically sealed during operation. Because both the needle and nib are removed from syringes, it can eliminate high disposal costs. Without the needle attached, a syringe is not considered a sharp and does not have to be disposed of in expensive sharp boxes. Instead they can be disposed of in normal clinical waste sacks.
The United Kingdom Design Council selected the Destructor as a Millennium Product, an award given to innovative products.
Balcan Engineering Ltd.
Keyword: phlebotomy, needle, safety, disposal
