Dispose of needles, glass properly

Residents placing items such as needles and glass in garbage bags is causing safety hazards for municipal waste collectors and sorters.

Craig Barlett, manager of waste operations for Durham Region says shards of glass, broken porcelain and hypodermic needles are seen in the waste stream on a daily basis.

“Additionally, a line sorter has been injured every year for the past six years by a sharp biomedical waste item,” Barlett adds. “This is a serious issue and we are asking residents to please help protect these workers by carefully and responsibly disposing sharp items, such as hypodermic needles, syringes, EpiPens and lancets.”

In the last year, the region’s waste management operator Waste Miller Systems has removed approximately 160 kgs of biomedical items from recycling streams as well.

To properly dispose of these items:

– Take back used sharp items to a local pharmacy

– Sharps must be returned in an approved sharps container that are distributed free of charge at local pharmacies

– Visit HealthSteward.ca to find a participating pharmacy

– Sharps must never be disposed of in the garbage or recycling

When setting out broken glass or porcelain, please:

– Separate broken glass from other waste

– Seal broken glass inside a securely taped cardboard box

– Mark the box as “glass” in large, bold letters before disposing as garbage

For more information, visit durham.ca/waste.