Needles Can Hurt

Putting used needles in the trash creates a hazard for the people who have to handle the waste on the way to ultimate disposal. It's especially dangerous to put used needles into the recycling bins. The recycalbles are sorted by hand and this puts the WSWMD staff in great danger!

To encourage safe disposal of the syringes, needles and lancets used by many residents in southeastern Vermont, we are now collecting used sharps and syringes at the WSWMD Convenience Center during operating hours.

If you don't collect your used needles in sharps container, please do the following with your used needles:

1. Make a large warning label that says: "USED SYRINGES" and "DO NOT RECYCLE." Put the label on an empty PETE #1 plastic bottle like a soda bottle. (Studies show this type of container to be the most puncture resistant.)
2. Carefully put each of your used syringes into the bottle.
3. When it is full, put heavy tape over the closed bottle cap and bring it to the WSWMD Convenience Center during operating hours. There is no charge.
4. DO NOT put the container in your recycling bin!

This program is subsidized for residents only of the WSWMD communities.

WSWMD is proud to provide the home health care community with this safe option for disposal.