Improperly disposed syringes are a public health risk and, in the waste stream these and other “sharps” pose a hazard to solid waste workers. To address this concern, Senate Bill 1305 was signed into law in July 2006, banning the disposal of “sharps” such as hypodermic needles and lancets, in the trash after September 1, 2008.
In order to obtain funds to support this unfunded local mandate, Calaveras County applied for and received a grant from the California Integrated Waste Management Board to design a countywide strategy to collect sharps from the public for the counties of Calaveras, Alpine, El Dorado, and Tuolumne.
It is important to include the public stakeholders in the sharps collection strategy design process. We are reaching out to a variety of stakeholders, from doctors to farmers to participate in the design for a sharps collection system that is convenient for the public. The above Counties are also holding stakeholder informational meetings in their respective counties to see if a regional strategy could be designed that would be more cost-effective for all.
To receive community input, El Dorado County will be holding a Sharps Stakeholders Meeting Tuesday, April 22, at l0 am, in Room 248 of Building C, 2850 Fairlane Ct. in Placerville.
Who Should Attend: Pharmacies, Other Retailers and Distributors of Sharps, Veterinarians, Farmers, Hospitals, Doctors Offices, Health and Diabetes Clinics, Drug Counselors, and Public Agency Staff Who Deal with Sharps.
To attend the meeting, please contact the project consultant, Heidi Sanborn, at (916) 485-7753 or hksanborn@comcast.net with your name and organization. Please send only one representative as space is limited.
