HALDIMAND—Finding an improperly discarded sharp – like a needle – can be concerning, but knowing what to do can make the situation a lot less intimidating.
Jackie Wood, Program Manager of Planning and Evaluation for the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU), walked The Press through the basic steps of how to properly dispose of an improperly discarded sharp:
- Put on gloves.
- Place your poke proof container (thick plastic or metal with a lid) on a stable surface beside the hazardous litter.
- Use tongs to carefully collect the litter. Keep sharp points/edges pointed away and never attempt to recap a needle.
- Place the item(s) into the container pointy end first and close the lid.
- Remove gloves and wash hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer.
- Take the container to a local disposal location, listed at http://www.hnhu.org/sharps-needleshnhu.org/sharps-needles
Wood noted that residents can get a sharps container, gloves, and tongs from the HNHU locations in Caledonia, Dunnville, and Simcoe. HNHU also encourages community members who have found improperly disposed sharps to complete the Sharps Reporting Form found on the HNHU website.
“This helps our team identify ongoing changes/needs in our community and aids in the ongoing assessment and monitoring of sharps disposal.”
While many people automatically think of needles when they hear ‘sharps,’ the term encompasses other items, such as razors, diabetic syringes and needles, broken glass (e.g. beer bottles), scalpels, biohazardous waste, etc. All of these items can be safely disposed of in community sharps bins.
“These sharps bins not only provide a disposal option for community members, but are a safer means of preventing needlestick injuries for local waste management workers,” Wood said.
She noted it’s a “common misconception … that sharps bins will increase needles or drug use in the area, when in fact, studies show that sharps bins reduce waste and don’t increase drug use in the area.”
Wood said local statistics aren’t available, but looking at the national level, the evidence shows “the placement of sharps disposal kiosks decreases the prevalence of improperly disposed sharps, with some studies showing an increase in sharps disposal from 17% to 82%.”
While some people may be inclined to ascribe malice to an improperly discarded sharp, Wood doesn’t: “People who have left a needle behind likely did not leave it there to hurt anyone,” she said. “Sometimes things are dropped by accident, and sometimes people do not know where to put them.”
However an improperly disposed sharp got there, “it is important to know how to clean them up and how to dispose of them properly,” Wood said. “All adults are encouraged to pick up improperly disposed of sharps safely, just like collecting other more hazardous litter.”
For more information, visit hnhu.org/health-topic/sharps-needles/#private.
