A new device that destroys syringe needles immediately after use, rendering them harmless, has been launched. Available through VLA HEALTHCARE, the Sharps Terminator destroys the needle shaft in a single-handed action, leaving the user with only the plastic syringe.
The lightweight, portable, battery powered Sharps Terminator operates via a single-step process that is extremely simple to use and works with a wide range of needles, including regular intravenous and butterfly needles. Once the needle is withdrawn from the patient, the healthcare worker simply inserts the needle into The Sharps Terminator and holds it for three seconds. As the needle body completes a circuit between two angled copper electrodes, resistance from the needle creates sufficient heat to destroy the metal portion of the needle from the tip to the hub. The Sharps Terminator then cuts the plastic ‘hub’ above the needle so that no metal is left on the syringe. Finally, the debris from the needle falls into a clean-out tube at the base of the device where it is exposed to UV light to eliminate contaminants. The remaining plastic syringe is no longer a sharp and can be disposed of in a regular medical waste container.
