New Needle Disposal Kiosk In Plymouth Hopes To Reduce Public Littering

PLYMOUTH, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Town of Plymouth’s Public Health Division introduced a new needle disposal program on Dec. 2.

The Sharps Disposal Program/Service hopes to address littering of needles and syringes in public areas, such as playgrounds where young children often visit.

“We found them on the benches,” local resident Lorena told WBZ NewsRadio. “We find them also thrown into the bushes.” She has three children and added that she was happy to hear about the new effort to address the issue.

Longtime resident Karen volunteers to pick up trash in her spare time and said that the waste on the ground adds up over time. “It’s possible that people who are on the margins would not have the finances to [find facilities]," she said.

That's why the town built a designated kiosk to amend that gap, which offers "a safe and environmentally friendly option to dispose of residential medical waste," Plymouth’s Director of Public Health Karen Keane said in a press release.

The kiosk is located in the town's Public Health Office, located at 26 Court St. Plymouth, and is available to access when Town Hall is open.

Here are must-follow instructions for proper disposal of sharps, needles, and syringes:

• All needles/syringes MUST be disposed of in a sharps container or a puncture resistant container like a one-gallon bleach bottle or a one-pound sealed, taped coffee can. A limited supply is available in the Public Health Office, according to a Plymouth's Public Health Division spokesperson.
• DO NOT put loose needles/syringes in the kiosk.
• DO NOT use a glass container or a bag of any kind.
• DO NOT leave a container outside the kiosk.
• Ask for assistance if the kiosk is full.

WBZ NewsRadio’s Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports. 

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