If you’re out and about regularly, you’ve likely come across a used needle on a sidewalk, the beach, or in a park. It’s a symptom of a problem that plagues every community – the improper disposal of syringes used to inject drugs.
That’s one of the reasons why Plymouth’s Public Health Division, working with Fire Department, earlier this month installed a special kiosk in its Town Hall office to allow people to safely get rid of needles, as well as other household medical waste that could be hazardous if tossed in the trash.
The so-called sharps disposal kiosk was made by Chrysalis Environmental Services, a Connecticut-based company that says it “produces products, services and educational programs to ensure the safe and environmentally friendly disposal of residential medical waste.”
“We are thrilled to now offer a sharps container disposal kiosk right here in the Public Health Office,” said Karen Keane, Plymouth’s director of public health, in a press release. The kiosk, she said, “allows the Plymouth community a safe and environmentally friendly option to dispose of residential medical waste.”
The Town Hall kiosk is accessible to anyone, but only during regular hours, and there are rules to follow:
- All needles/syringes must be disposed of in a certified sharps container or a puncture resistant container like a one-gallon bleach bottle or a sealed and taped coffee can.
- DO NOT put loose needles/syringes in the kiosk.
- DO NOT use a glass container or a bag of any kind.
- DO NOT leave a container outside the kiosk.
- Ask for assistance if the kiosk is full.
An approved sharps container is made of hard plastic and can be purchased through pharmacies, health care providers, medical supply companies, and online at sites such as Amazon. But there are no-cost alternatives, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“If an FDA-cleared container is not available,” the agency says, “some organizations and community guidelines recommend using a heavy-duty plastic household container as an alternative. The container should be leak-resistant, remain upright during use and have a tight fitting, puncture-resistant lid, such as a plastic laundry detergent container.
For more information on the disposal program, contact the Public Health office or email publichealth@plymouth-ma.gov.
Mark Pothier can be reached at mark@plymouthindependent.org.