Health Education plays an important role in keeping our community safe, healthy, and well informed. Whether the issues concern home safety, natural disasters, public health & well being, bioterrorism or weather emergencies, health education provides us with resources that are close at hand or available to us immediately through a little preparation and our own efforts. Being aware of possible health related emergencies and being prepared for them could assist us greatly in knowing what to do and how to do it.
Health Education also provides us with a broader knowledge of what resources are available throughout our community. Low cost Infant and Child Car Seats are available for those who meet certain guidelines and are eligible for the program. Tobacco Cessation Programs are provided throughout the year for individuals who want to quit using tobacco. Eating healthy, Women's Health Partnership, National campaigns, such as the Safe Kids campaign are just a few of the programs available through Wayne County Public Health Services, Health Education Program. To learn more about what is being offered to Wayne County residents please call Wayne County Public Health at (315)946-5749 or 1-800-724-1170 and ask for Lisa Roth or Ginny |
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| HOME SAFETY |
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HOUSEHOLD SHARPS
How to dispose of them properly |
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| Millions of people use syringes, needles, and lancets to manage their health care at home. These items are called household sharps. Household sharps must be properly stored and then discarded after use to: |
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Protect children, pets, and workers who handle trash from illness or injury. |
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Prevent re-use of sharps and sharing of needles that can transmit infectious diseases. |
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Protect the environment. |
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Keep sharps out of household trash and recycling bins. |
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You can bring your used sharps to any hospital or nursing home in New York State. Just call for information on days, hours, and location of the sharps disposal program. Ask your health care provider, local public works department, sanitation department or trash collector about how and where to dispose of sharps in your area. |
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| HOW TO STORE YOUR SHARPS |
| Follow these guidelines to safely store used sharps in your home until you are able to safely discard them: |
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Put used sharps in a sharps container or a puncture-resistant, plastic bottle (ie: a bleach or laundry detergent bottle). Close the screw on lid tightly. You may want to tape it as well. Label the container, "Contains Sharps." |
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Keep sharps containers away from children and pets. |
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Put used sharps immediately into your container. Keep the container closed between uses |
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Bring your container with you when you travel and dispose of it at home. |
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Don't flush sharps down the toilet or drop them into a storm sewer. |
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Don't clip, bend, or recap sharps. |
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Don't put sharps containers out with the recycling. Loose needles,
syringes, or lancets should never be thrown into a recycling bin. |
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Don't put sharps in soda cans, milk cartons, or any other container that is
not puncture resistant. Coffee cans are not recommended because the plastic lids come off too easily and may leak. |
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| HOW TO DISPOSE OF YOUR SHARPS |
| There are different ways to safely dispose of sharps. Here are the best ideas for safety, health, and protection of the environment. |
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Call your health care provider, pharmacy, or clinic to find out the days and times that local hospitals or nursing homes accept sharps for disposal. |
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Ask your diabetes educator or local American Diabetes Association chapter about sharps collection programs in your area. |
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Call your local public works department or trash collector. Check the blue pages in the telephone book for their numbers. Some communities have special household medical waste collection or drop-off days. |
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Call your local health department and ask for the health educator.
Ask about sharps collection programs in your county. |
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