Abstract: A system for safely and conveniently disposing of contaminated hypodermic needles comprises a disposal container for accumulating contaminated hypodermic needles which had been disposed therein after having been initially collected within a tray containing a supply of needle-retaining material. The needle-retaining material is a soft material, similar to art gum eraser material, which is soft enough for a needle to penetrate yet sticky enough to retain the needle when the needle is released from the syringe. The tray comprises a base, a pair of side walls, a handle extending from one side wall for easy transport of the tray, and the supply of needle-retaining material. The needle-retaining material in the tray may be presented in two different forms, either as a contiguous supply of strips in the tray or as individual small cup-like depressions each containing a small amount.

Abstract: A protective cover for a dish being heated in a microwave oven is formed of moisture-absorbent, microwave transparent material forming a top member and an encircling wall member depending downwardly from the periphery of the top member to completely cover the dish to protect the interior of the oven from any possible spattering of food particles during the heating. The cover is formed of absorbent material so that any escaping fluids and food particles may be captured or absorbed by the cover. The wall member is fluted to give the cover self-supporting rigidity, and an upper edge of each fluted portion coincides with a scalloped portion of the top member. The cover may be treated with a microwave safe resin to increase the rigidity of the cover.