What type of container should be purchased to dispose of sharps?

Sharps containers are made from a variety of materials from cardboard to plastic. As long as they meet the requirements at 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(iii)(A), OSHA would consider them to be acceptable. Among these requirements, OSHA calls for sharps containers to be closable, puncture resistant, leakproof on sides and bottom, and labeled or color-coded. NIOSH publication number 97-111, Selecting, Evaluating, and Using Sharps Disposal Containers, offers further guidance.