Proper Disposal Keeps Us All
SAFE San Joaquin County residents have a new way to safely dispose of unwanted medications and used needles Community leaders, like San Joaquin County Supervisor Bob Elliott, have come together to install medication and sharps disposal bins to protect residents. PHOTO BY ROBIN EAGAN
IMPROPER DISPOSAL PUTS US ALL IN DANGER
Improper disposal of medication or needles affects the entire community — from fueling drug addiction and threatening public safety to needles being found in parks, waterways and even libraries.
Criminals may use medications that are tossed into the trash or sell them on the black market. This risk is even greater in neighborhoods where there are large numbers of seniors.
Used sharps that have been thrown into the trash or recycling accidentally stick workers and can expose them to diseases.
BOOK RETURN
“I have talked to code enforcement staff and when they have to secure an empty house, they come across a lot of sharps,” explained City of Stockton Solid Waste Manager Gretchen Olsen. However, the most shocking needle surprise comes at the library. “People are putting sharps in the library book return slots,” she said.
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by Rodney Orosco
Sharps flushed down the toilet can become roperly disposing of unwanted medications lodged in equipment, forcing county workers to and used sharps — such as needles, lancets remove them by hand, exposing workers to accidenand auto-injectors — is a safety priority for tal and dangerous needle sticks. Tossing sharps in the individuals and the community. trash or recycling is illegal in the state of California Flushing these items may seem like an easy because of Senate Bill 1305, which was passed in option for disposal but it is actually a serious envi2006 to protect waste workers. ronmental and health hazard. In actuality, treatUsed sharps need to be properly disposed of ment plants are not designed to remove medications in a designated sharps container and then taken from the water. That means some medication that is to a sharps disposal location. Just like medication flushed ends up in our waterways and, eventually, in disposal, sharps disposal only takes one easy step. our drinking water. There are currently dozens If you can’t flush then the of sharps and medication trash is the next best option, “This effort is disposal bins located throughright? out the County with more on Wrong. the result of a the way, thanks to a unique “Medications thrown in the partnership among collaborative effort between the garbage can become fuel for City of Stockton, San Joaquin addiction, result in an overdose, a broad range of County and other area organizaor cause accidental poisoning,” stakeholder groups.” tions. said San Joaquin County Public “This effort is the result of Health Officer Dr. Kismet Bob Elliott a partnership among a broad Baldwin. District 5 Supervisor San Joaquin County range of stakeholder groups,” These common disposal San Joaquin County Supervisor problems are easily preventable. Bob Elliott said. “Thank you to all the community Thankfully, disposing of medication in San leaders and organizations that made these disposal Joaquin County is easy: Take the unwanted medicabins possible, including San Joaquin County Public tion to one of the County’s DEA-authorized disposal Works, The Rose Foundation, and the California locations and then drop it into a specially designated Product Stewardship Council.” bin. However, safety does not end at the medicine cabinet. Because some medications and medical tests are taken by blood, special care must be taken to dispose of these needles, also called sharps. Used Find out where to drop off unwanted medications and sharps are considered hazardous waste and must also sharps at www.sjcrecycle.org or call San Joaquin be quickly and properly disposed of — and the toilet County Public Works at 209-468-3000. is not an option.
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