No more pricks! Use Community Sharps bins to dispose of syringes
Published on 24 August 2021
There are many legitimate reasons for using hypodermic needles, syringes or other ‘sharps’ in every part of our community, however Kempsey Shire Council are reminding the community to dispose of these dangerous items safely to avoid risking others.
Staff at the Material Recycling Facility at Cairncross were put at risk recently when syringes were discovered in the recycling delivered from a local yellow bin collection.
Free community sharps bins are provided in these locations throughout the Shire to help you safely dispose of syringes.
There are many medical conditions that involve regular self-injection in the home, including diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS), renal failure, infertility, allergies and vitamin deficiencies. Increasingly, community sharps are also generated in livestock and pet management.
If you use syringes at home, please store your used sharps in a plastic puncture-proof container with a lid, or a yellow sharps container, then take them to one of our local community sharps bins.
Please be mindful and take care to dispose of sharps correctly. Incorrect disposal puts others at risk.
Placing syringes or sharps, including needles and lancets (finger prickers), in household or public bins can cause injury to those who empty our bins or sort our waste.