Community Sharps

Many people rely on using needles and syringes to maintain their own health or that of a family member. Injecting equipment is also used by injecting drug users, and for animal healthcare by pet and livestock owners. 

Community sharps is the name used to describe needles, syringes, lancets, and similar equipment resulting from these activities. 

Disposal of community sharps

To protect the health of the community and personnel involved in waste collection and disposal, sharps must be disposed of safely. Sharps cannot be disposed of in kerbside garbage or recycling bins and must be disposed of at designated locations in approved containers.

If you inject at home:

  • Use a sharps container or other appropriate puncture resistant container (NOT glass).
  • Sharps waste containers should be stored in a secure location so children cannot access the container.
  • Seal lid of container when three quarters full and dispose of container at one of the community sharps disposal facilities listed below.

If you inject outside of the home:

  • Place your injecting equipment in a community sharps bin in a public toilet or other place that has a community sharps disposal bin.
  • Place your injecting equipment in a sharps container or other appropriate puncture resistant container and dispose of the container at one of the community sharps disposal facilities listed below.

 

If you find sharps in the community

Used needles and syringes are occasionally found in public spaces such as parks and on footpaths.

If you find a syringe in a public place, help protect your community by calling the: Needle Clean Up Hotline 1800 633 353 - Monday to Friday: 9am – 4pm, with an answering machine at other times.

The NSW Needle Clean Up Hotline coordinates responses to community concerns regarding inappropriately disposed sharps in public places.

 

Where can I take community sharps for disposal?

The City of Coffs Harbour and key stakeholders have a number of community sharps containers and bins installed in community centres, libraries, parks and public toilets to ensure discarded sharps are managed separately from general waste.

Sharps disposal units are available at:

  • Coffs Harbour: Park Avenue near Woolworths below the stair to multi deck car park
  • Coffs Harbour: Community Village Car Park, behind Cavanbah Hall. Accessed via Earl Street
  • Coffs Harbour: Coffs Harbour Health Campus
  • Boambee: Englands Road Landfill next to the Weighbridge Office (2 bins)
  • Toormina: Southern side of Centro Toormina Shopping Centre
  • Moonee Beach: Western side of Moonee Tavern carpark
  • Woolgoolga: Market Street Carpark

 Needle and Syringe Services:

Search for disposal locations near you - SafeSharps

 

 

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