Syringe Safety

 

Safe Disposal of Syringes

Used syringes can pose a health hazard to the community. Council provides a range of services to assist you with the safe disposal of used syringes. Syringe disposal bins can be found in one cubicle of male, female and disabled toilets in the following areas:

Warragul

  • Corner of Palmerston Street (near the Post Office)
  • Civic Place public toilets (near the Council offices)
  • Queen Street Park public toilets

Drouin

  • Memorial Park public toilets
  • Civic Park public toilets

Trafalgar

  • V-Line Railway station
  • Public toilet block (corner of Contingent Street/Depot Lane)

Erica

  • Recreational reserve (Moe-Rawson Road-School Road)

Darnum

  • Bushman’s reserve public toilets (Main Street)

Syringe Disposal Containers 

Council provides a syringe disposal container exchange service for people who need to dispose of syringes. The containers are made of yellow plastic and are available in small and large sizes.

Sharps container units are available from Council's Customer Service Centre in Drouin for a small fee - contact us on 1300 229 229 for the current prices.

Full containers can be returned to the Drouin Customer Service Centre.

You can also dispose of your full sharps containers in the following ways:

  • At the medical centre at Advantage Pharmacy in Victoria Street, Warragul
  • There are large capacity bright orange disposal bins located outside the entrance of each of the Latrobe Community Health Offices at:
    • 42-44 Fowler Street Moe
    • 81-85 Buckley Street Morwell
    • 7-9 Seymour Street Traralgon  

The West Gippsland Healthcare Group also provides needle exchange at the Warragul Hospital and at the Gladstone Street Health Centre.

Reporting Discarded Syringes

Sometimes syringes are discarded improperly. If you find syringes in a park, next to a road or other areas please contact Council on 5624 2411 to arrange collection. The syringes will be collected free of charge.

Handling Syringes

Council recommends that used syringes are handled by professionals only. However, if you must handle one, please follow the instructions below.

  • If you can, use tongs or protect your hand with a glove or cloth
  • Never touch the sharp end of the needle, only pick up the syringe by the barrel end
  • Do not try to replace the cap on the needle
  • Put the needle and syringe in a screw top, puncture-proof, plastic container and seal it
  • Tell children never to pick up needles and syringes, but to call an adult
  • Do not put needles and syringes down toilets and drains
  • Contact the Baw Baw Shire Council on 5624 2411.

If you are a user of needles/syringes, please remember:

  • Never share syringes
  • Never re-use syringes
  • DO NOT break the needle off the syringe

Needle-Stick Injury

Council asks users of syringes not to leave syringes lying in toilets, streets, parks or drains as it creates a health risk. However, residents should note that the risk of catching a blood borne virus (such as HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C) by sustaining an accidental needle stick injury is extremely low.

If you receive a needle-stick injury, do not panic. Your risk of contracting a blood-borne virus is extremely low. Following an injury, immediately rinse the wound with flowing water, and then wash well with soap and water. Cover the wound with a Band-Aid and seek medical attention to assess your risks of bacterial and blood-borne virus infection. Where possible, retrieve the syringe for testing or disposal, or isolate the area to prevent others from injuring themselves.

For more information on syringe safety, email the Public Health Unit or phone 5624 2411.

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