News and Alerts
Posted: August 25, 2008
Contact: Mark Netherda, MD
Sonoma County Deputy Health Officer
(707) 565-4401
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Home-generated Sharps Banned From Waste Stream Beginning September 1st
Santa Rosa, CA - On September 1, 2008, a new state law (SB 1305) goes into effect in California making it illegal to dispose of home-generated sharps waste in the trash, recycling, or green waste containers. This new law applies to needles, lancets used by diabetics to monitor glucose levels in the blood and other types of sharps used for administering medications to humans or animals. Sonoma County, frequently leading the way in health and safety initiatives, has had a ban on disposal of sharps in the county landfill for over 10 years.
The new state law will require persons using sharps (needles, lancets or other injection devices) at home to safely and properly dispose of them. Approximately 400 million sharps are introduced into landfills in California each year from the one million Californians who self-inject prescription medications at home. Sharps, when not disposed of properly, pose a significant public health risk, particularly to the health and safety of sanitation employees at landfills and recycling centers and also to others who may come into contact with them.
"The Sonoma County Department of Health Services fully supports this new law and is encouraging everyone to appropriately dispose of sharps. It is an important way to prevent accidental exposure to serious infections such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C," explained Dr. Mark Netherda, Deputy Health Officer for Sonoma County.
There are several options for safe and legal disposal of sharps:
- Pharmacies: Most drug stores sell approved sharps containers and some have take-back programs for their customers. Ask your pharmacist.
- Veterinarians: Some veterinarians offer sharps take-back programs
- Mail-Back: Approved containers can be purchased at most pharmacies or can be ordered directly from an approved mail-back service which, when filled, can then be mailed through the postal service to a treatment facility. A list of sharps mail-back services authorized for use in California is available at: www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/medicalwaste/Pages/default.aspx. The cost includes the container, shipping, treatment, and disposal.
- Household Hazardous Waste Collection: Sharps in approved containers may be dropped off Thursday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the household toxics collection center at the central landfill, 500 Mecham Road, Petaluma, or at any of the numerous Community Toxics Collection events scheduled throughout the county. Check the recycling section of your telephone directory for collection event dates and times.
- Pickup Service: (707) 795-2025 may pick up used sharps.
- Needle Destruction Devices: Several commercial devices are available to render sharps harmless.
There are many sharps disposal pilot programs being tested throughout the state. The Sonoma County Sharps Coalition is continually seeking ways to improve safe disposal practices for home-generated sharps. Suggestions are welcome. To make a suggestion or to obtain more information, contact the Environmental Health Division of the Sonoma County Department of Health Services at (707) 565-6565.