Rick Patrick, Greene Publishing, Inc.
Many people like to start the new year off with cleaning up and cleaning out. Often, this can include medical supplies such as used needles and even old prescription medications. In either case, precautions must be taken in order to prevent injury.
In the case of old needles, they should never simply be thrown into the garbage. This can cause a very dangerous situation for those workers tasked with handling solid waste. Used needles should not be flushed, buried or burned. Do not put needles into a container that is not strong enough to keep needles from puncturing through the sides. Do not use clear plastic or glass containers for the disposal of old needles. Needles should never be mixed with items that are to be recycled. Never leave needles where other people can get to them.
Some communities have a needle disposal program. In Madison County, the program is very limited. Still, other companies will offer a program where people can mail used needles back to the company for proper disposal. To find out more about these programs, call (850) 245-4277.
If a needle return program or a mail back program is unavailable, check with your local garbage company to see if throwing needles out with your garbage is allowed. If it is permitted, then follow these guidelines for your safety and the safety of others:
Put needles into a container that has a lid and that is strong enough to keep the needles from sticking through the sides, such as liquid detergent bottles or metal cans.
Throw the container away before it is completely full.
Put the container lid on tight and secure it with heavy tape.
Put the container in the center of your garbage.
In the case of expired or unneeded prescription medications, one should never flush them down the toilet. This can cause a danger to public health. Some communities do offer a prescription return program. As of now, Madison does not have such a program.
If you have old or unneeded prescription medications, contact your pharmacy and ask about proper disposal. You could also contact the physician who wrote the prescription for advice on proper disposal. In the mean time, make sure that prescription medications are securely locked away.