Re: [greenyes] Sharps in the wastestream

["Buford Hill" <garbageman@no.address>]

Here in Dickenson County Virginia, there is a Solid Waste Ordinance that
provides for the proper disposal of Sharps. It is defined to protect the
solid waste handlers from being stuck. The only problem, the Ordinance is
not enforced and the county does not provide the necessary PR to educate the
public that improper disposal is dangerous.

The Solid Waste workers are protected under certain OSHA rules. But the
county failed the workers in that respect also. I know because I was stuck
by a hypodermic needle in the line of duty you might say. I was working as a
curbside garbage collector for the county. It was two years after I was
stuck before we were even given a class on Bloodborn Pathogens. A class that
is required by OSHA.

Needless to say, Public Relations is the only way that this danger can be
handled. Newspaper and Radio adds should be the norm.

I have a few pictures on my website of needles found in the solid waste
stream.


Buford Hill
Recycle, Garbage is a terrible thing to Waste.
http://www.garbageman.dickensonctyva.net/



----- Original Message -----
From: "Spaeth Werner, Elizabeth" <Elizabeth.Spaeth-Werner@no.address>
To: "'ann leonard'" <aleonard@no.address>; "Tom Rhodes"
<tom.rhodes@no.address>; "JTRNET" <jtrnet@no.address>; "P2assist
(E-mail)" <p2assist@no.address>; "Greenyes@no.address Org"
<greenyes@no.address>
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 3:25 PM
Subject: RE: [greenyes] Sharps in the wastestream


> Wisconsin adopted infectious waste management rules in 1994.  Most of the
> rules are in Chapter NR 526, Wisconsin Administrative Code.  The rules
cover
> infectious waste generators and handlers.  Individuals who generate waste
at
> home must follow safety requiremnts for sharps only.  The safety
requirments
> in NR526 are very similar to OSHA requirements and if any NR526
requirements
> conflict with OSHA, OSHA prevails.  Home generators are to make sure they
> properly package used sharps to reduce risk to people who will be handling
> the sharps.  The collection of sharps by hospitals, pharmacies,
> municipalities and others is promoted.  These "sharps collection stations"
> are to provide their service at or below cost to customers. (I've seen the
> red buckets on the countertop at my local pharmacies with no charge for
drop
> offs.)  The stations do not need a license to store this waste. For
further
> information, you can also check out this web site:
> http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/wm/publications/MEDINF/
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ann leonard [mailto:aleonard@no.address]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 3:05 PM
> To: Tom Rhodes; JTRNET; P2assist (E-mail); Greenyes@no.address Org
> Subject: Re: [greenyes] Sharps in the wastestream
>
>
> Dear All,
>
> There is a wealth of information on medical waste management, including
> sharps management from Health Care Without Harm. Please see,
www.noharm.org
> and send them an email if you need more specific information than you can
> find on their web site. They have hundreds of members in the medical and
> environmental health community in the US (and internationally) who can
> provide further information.
>
> Cheers,
> Ann Leonard
>
>
> At 03:19 PM 7/16/2003 -0400, Tom Rhodes wrote:
> >Good day colleagues,
> >
> >One of our fellow environmentalists has posed the following question and
I
> >thought I'd pass it on to you to see if you could share your wisdom with
us
> >all. Thanks for your help.
> >
> >Kindest regards,
> >Tom Rhodes,
> >NC DPPEA,
> >
> >She writes:
> >What I am looking into are sharps (needles) in the wastestream. How
> counties
> >prevent them from reaching the wastestream?
> >What are the procedures for the public so they can dispose of them
> >correctly. Do any counties offer drop off boxes? Who pays? How is it set
> up?
> >Anything through the local Health Depts?
> >Currently we ask that the sharps be places in a heavy plastic bottles,
cap
> >tightly on, and given to the collector so they will know what they have
and
> >will not end up loose in the wastestream. Trying to find more effective
> >porcedure????
> >
> >
> >List your waste commodities on www.ncwastetrader.org
> >
> >Tom Rhodes
> >Waste Analyst/P2Assist Listserv Administrator
> >NC Division of Pollution Prevention & Environmental Assistance
> >1639 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699
> >(919) 715-6516
> >Visit us on the Web at: www.p2pays.org
> >
> >
> >
> >
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