The nurses in the Adult Family Care program provide monthly teachings to the families in the program. This month they shared safe ways to handle sharps.
Syringes are used to manage a variety of health care conditions at home such as allergies and diabetes. The safe disposal of these needles, syringes and lancets is necessary to protect residents, sanitation workers and the environment.
What should I do with my used Syringes?
Used syringes and other sharps should always be placed in a sharps container which can be purchased at pharmacies and medical supply stores. If you do not have a sharps container, you may place your syringes in a puncture resistant container such as a rigid plastic bottle with a secure lid labeled “Sharps” (i.e. coffee can, milk jug, detergent bottle). Dispose of these containers at either a drop-off site or through a mail back program. Medasend and Stericycle are two mail back services that provide a variety of container sizes and prepaid mailing cartons.
Medasend: 800-200-3581
Stericycle: 800-355-8773
Now that my Syringes are safely in a sharps container, can I put them in the trash?
No! Throwing syringes in the trash is against the law and could lead to a hefty fine. Dispose of your sharps by bringing them to a syringe disposal drop-off site or delivering them through a mail-back service. Click this link for a list of Massachusetts safe disposal sites.
For more information on Safe Sharps Disposal, click here or call your local Public Works Department!
