Improper Disposal of Syringes and Needles Puts Workers at Risk

By Randy Radtke Leader Managing Editor

The city's disposal and recycling service company and Lake Mills are asking area residents for their help to properly dispose of used sharps or diabetic syringes and needles.

"This is a very serious problem that endangers the health and wellbeing of all workers involved in the pickup and sorting of material," wrote Johns recycling coordinator Brent Flikkema in a letter addressed to City Manager Steve Wilke on Aug. 30. "Our workers are finding them in both the paper and commingled recycling."

"It's a problem that needs to be corrected, " said Wilke in response. "We do have a sharps collection station at the Public Works Building that is available to all individuals regardless of where they live."

The collection station is open during the same hours that the Public Works Building is open. According to city personnel, the hours are 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The building and collection station are both located at 307 N. CP Avenue on the city's east side.

Individuals wishing to dispose of their sharps at the collection station must place all of the sharps in an approved container before entering the Public Works Building. Approved containers include commercially available sharps containers or a heavy plastic detergent or bleach bottle that have screw caps.

Containers must be labeled with the words biohazard, infectious waste, sharps or have the biohazard label on each container.

According to Wilke, any sharps contained in coffee cans, plastic milk jugs, bags, aluminum or metal cans or plastic soda bottles will not be accepted. Unlabeled containers will also not be accepted for disposal.

Individuals wanting to get rid of sharps materials at the Public Works Building must place them directly into the disposal bin since city employees will not handle the material under the city's sharps policy.

City workers also retain the right to refuse acceptance of inappropriate or not properly labeled containers.

The city will also not accept medical waste or sharps from any private or public medical facility or veterinary clinics.

While the city recently revised its policies for the collection site, Johns has put together an action plan to deal with the problem.

The plan includes the reporting of the name and address of any residential or business location improperly disposing of sharps and the driver of the pickup or recycling vehicle will then leave a notice at the location.

If a warning letter from Johns Disposal does not produce a change in resident or business' disposal habits, the location will then be referred to the city for further action.

Flikkema also urged the city to launch an informational or educational campaign on the proper disposal of sharps.

He said that he hoped everyone who uses sharps would take a look at a two-page paper on how to properly dispose of household sharps that has been done by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

In addition to the recommendations already listed in this article, the DNR urges sharps users to clip the needle points with a needle clippers or recap or resheathe discarded sharps to prevent needle sticks.

Flikkema told The Lake Mills Leader: in an interview on Monday that getting medical facilities and pharmacies, who sell sharps, involved was a real key to making sure that sharps did not end up in a garbage bag or the recycling bin.

We need everyone's help, especially the help of those selling sharps, to make sure that they are disposed of properly after they've been used," Flikkema added.

The above article was from a September 2002 Lake Mills Leader (newspaper)

"Sharps" disposal is at the Dept. of Public Works,

307 N. CP Avenue, Mon thru Fri. 7am to 3pm. 648-4026

Below is a quote from the city code 4-3-18(7)

7. Toxic, Medical, Biomedical Wastes: No person shall deposit any toxic waste, medical waste, and~

biomedical waste in any container for collection under the City contract program. Residents or enterprises requiring disposal of toxic, medical, or biomedical wastes will establish private arrangements with

an authorized disposal agent for the collection and disposal of these substances.