Sharps

Community safety. That's the point!

In effort to promote community safety, we collaborate with community partners to install community sharps bins, offer free public education on how to safely handle and dispose of a sharp, and provide biohazard containers for clients to safely dispose of used needles and other harm reduction equipment.

Keeping our region safe is everyone's responsibility.

Knowing how to safely pick up and dispose of a sharp can help to prevent the spread of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Do your part by learning about sharps, and what to do if you find one in your community.

If you find a sharp...

Review and follow the steps for safe handling and disposing of a sharp.

You can use a hard-sided container from home (such as a pop bottle or laundry detergent container with a lid), or pick up a free biohazard container from a participating pharmacy.

If the sharp is on public property and you are not comfortable handling it, please call your municipality's Public Works department.

If the sharp is on private property, it is the responsibility of private property owners (or landlords) to discard them. There is currently not a phone number to call for help with sharps found on private property.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a sharp?

What safe sharps disposal options are available in the Health Unit region?

Once a sharp has been safely collected in a hard-sided container (e.g., biohazard container, pop bottle, laundry container with a lid), it can be dropped off at a number of places across the Nipissing and Parry Sound districts. These include:

Participating pharmacies
Hazardous waste depots
Community sharps bins (click on the red location icon to see where you can find one in your community)

Where can I get additional materials to support safe sharps disposal?

Visit our office in North Bay or Parry Sound from Nov. 25-29, 2024 for a free sharps handling and disposal kit! Kit pick-up runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. this week and is open to individuals, businesses, agencies and municipalities while supplies last.

Tongs, disposable gloves, and disinfectant wipes are optional and may be purchased at a local retail store.

When picking up a sharp, you will need a hard-sided, puncture-resistant container. You can get a biohazard container at participating pharmacies, or use an empty pop bottle or laundry detergent container instead.

For more information on where to purchase or pick-up biohazard containers, please contact harm.reduction@healthunit.ca.

What if I accidentally injure myself with a sharp?

There is a very low risk of blood-borne infections from a sharp injury. Your risk of getting HIV or Hepatitis C from a needle stick injury depends on a number of factors, such as:

Depth of needle penetration
Amount of blood or bodily fluid in the needle
Virus type and lifespan of the virus
When the needle was used (including how long it has been in the environment)
The health status of the person who used the needle
Your immunization status

Someone who does get injured by a used sharp should:

Let it bleed freely.
Wash the area with soap and water.
Seek medical attention for serious injuries, and for advice about risks of infection and suggested treatment.

If the incident happened while working, contact your occupational health department and report the incident accordingly.

Why does the Health Unit work with individuals who use needles?

We operate on the harm reduction principle of providing clients with an adequate amount of sterile needles to meet their requirements for safe injecting. The main goal of this program is to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, primarily HIV and Hepatitis C, and minimize the risks associated with substance use in the greater community.

We educate all individuals who use on how to dispose of needles safely and the risks of failing to do so. We provide them with sharps containers and information on various disposal locations, and also encourage them to return their supplies directly to the program.

If you would like more information, or have questions about sharps in the community, please contact us via email at harm.reduction@healthunit.ca.

Community Safety. That's the Point! Campaign Materials

Close-up image of a male-presenting individual outside on cloudy day

Drug-Related Stigma

Some language has become so common that we often don't realize its impact. Learn the four guidelines to non-stigmatizing language and find other ways you, your workplace and community can help reduce the stigma around drug use.

Reduce the stigma

Information for Organizations and Workplaces

What do I include in a safe sharps handling and disposal kit?

Putting together a safe sharps handling and disposal kit is inexpensive and easy to do. It is recommended that a safe sharps handling and disposal kit include the following items:

Puncture-proof and/or disposable gloves
Tongs, forceps or tweezers
Hard-sided container with a lid (e.g. biohazard container, pop bottle, laundry container with a lid)
Disinfectant wipes
Information on how to safely handle and dispose of a sharp

Purchasing Biohazard Containers

My organization/workplace has sharps containers in their bathrooms. Where can I dispose of the biohazard containers once they are full?

Where can I get training for my staff?

For additional information, or questions about sharps in the community, please contact us via email at harm.reduction@healthunit.ca.

Harm Reduction

Our harm reduction services in North Bay and Parry Sound help to lower the risks and burdens that can come from sharing or reusing drug use equipment.

Learn more

Empowering professionals

Our Needle Syringe Program page for professionals and partners offers best practices and operational guidance to those interested in implementing or improving their own NSP.