As snow melts, watch out for needles says Health Unit

We all love to see spring return, temperatures get milder, and snow starting to melt, but with that pleasure can come pain.

Needles thrown away over the winter months start to appear and the local Health Unit and the AIDS Committee  are asking you to help keep the community clear of discarded sharps.

“We know when the snow starts melting, there can be a lot of garbage and debris left behind, including sharps,” explains Natalie Dupuis-Blanchfield, Community Health Promoter. “Disposing of discarded sharps is similar to cleaning up winter garbage, but with a few extra precautions.”

The risk of contracting a blood-borne illness from a discarded sharp is extremely low, says a news release, however, there are steps people should take to safely pick up and dispose of a sharp:

• Pick needles up carefully, by wearing gloves and/or using tongs.
• Stay as far away from the sharp end as possible and do not attempt to put the cap back on.
• Put the needles in a hard plastic container, like a water bottle, with the sharp end facing down.
• Seal the container tightly.
• Dispose of the container at a community sharps bin or at a local pharmacy.

"It is important for sharps to be properly disposed of and not put in garbage cans or flushed down toilets," says the release. 

Community sharps bins can be found outside the following locations:

• AIDS Committee of North Bay & Area (147 McIntyre St. W.)
• Community Counselling Centre of Nipissing (361 McIntyre St. E.)
• North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (345 Oak St. W.)
• Corner of Main St. and Queen St., Sturgeon Falls
• Corner of Seguin St. and Gibson St., Parry Sound

“We all have a role to play in creating safer communities, but we understand not everyone will feel comfortable picking up a sharp,” states Caitlin Dobratz, Hepatitis C Community Coordinator at ACNBA.

The Health Unit is offering safe sharps handling and disposal training online throughout April and May. 

The Health Unit also offers equipment to businesses to support safe needle disposal, and offers a needle syringe program to help ensure that people who use injection drugs have access to sterile injection equipment to prevent transmission of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases.

"Needle syringe programs are proven to decrease sharps sharing, which helps decrease the transmission of disease among people who use drugs," says the release.

Needle stick injuries are low. The risk of infection from a need stick injury after exposure differs by pathogen:

• Hepatitis B – 6 to 30 per cent
• Hepatitis C – 1.8 per cent
• HIV – 0.3 per cent
• Additional considerations are the depth of the needle penetration, amount of viral load on the needle, when was the needle last used, and health and immune system of the person who is pricked.