Sharps Bins

Sharps bins are used to safely contain medical items that could potentially puncture the skin causing injury and infection. Over 3.5 million sharps bins a year are purchased by the NHS each year with all current bins incinerated after a single use.

PDR’s brief was to rapidly design, develop, prototype test, tool and pre-production manufacture a new design that satisfied all of the stringent regulatory criteria in a functional and commercially viable re-useable package.

PDR quickly developed the system through a clear and simple, stage-gated development process. This ensured that project focus and objectives were maintained and Smart Sharps remained in control throughout the development.

PDR as a specialist product development and technical engineering consultancy has worked with thousands of companies since its creation ten years ago and has built up a significant portfolio of capabilities including design, prototyping, tooling and batch manufacture.

The Smart Sharps proposal was rapidly developed from conceptual sketch work through detail engineering design to a final prototyped design.



The unique combination of expertise and facilities at the National Centre including in house rapid prototyping, tooling and batch manufacture allowed a comprehensive solution to be formed rapidly from the original brief.

Following design freeze, a prototype unit was used to assess fit and functionality before low cost aluminium injection mould tools were manufactured in house for the batch manufacture of all components.



This focus on comprehensive solutions and minimum time to market to speed up project returns at minimum risk is a feature of PDR’s comprehensive product development approach.

The first of a range of Smarts Sharp bins launched has a number of innovative features to ensure theft, injury and misuse are minimised. These include a two position lid that prevents re-opening, a fill level indicator, an in built carry handle and selected use of microbe resistant polymers.

The unit is emptied and sterilised in a specialised facility and offers considerable cost as well as safety and functional advantages over traditional sharps bins.