What is not typically included in a sharps bin with a yellow lid?

A sharps bin with a yellow lid is specifically designed for the disposal of hazardous waste, particularly items that can pierce or puncture the skin, such as needles and other sharp instruments. These bins are used primarily in healthcare settings to handle items that are potentially contaminated with medications or biological materials.

The purpose of the yellow lid indicates that the contents may pose a risk due to medicinal contamination, and they require careful handling and disposal. Therefore, items such as sharps contaminated with medicinal products, or sharps and syringe bodies that still contain residual medicinal products, are appropriately disposed of in these bins.

In contrast, items that are not contaminated with medicinal products, such as non-sharp waste, should not be disposed of in a sharps bin. General plastic waste, which is also not considered a biohazard, should be disposed of in designated recycling or general waste containers. Placing general plastic waste in a sharps bin could lead to contamination of the bin and complicate the disposal process, potentially endangering waste handling staff.