If you are an insulin-injecting diabetic or on dialysis at home and need to dispose of syringes you can do so at any of the following pharmacies or Council's Customer Service Centre.
Before delivering your syringes please make sure they are in a proper plastic sharps container, or at least a rigid plastic drink container with a screw top (like a milk bottle or juice bottle).
Unfortunately it is becoming increasingly common for discarded used syringes to be found in public places including street gutters, parks, playgrounds, bus shelters and public toilets.
If you find a syringe don't touch it. Telephone 9840 9840 (24 hours) and ask for an Ordinance Inspector. They are experienced in the safe disposal of used syringes and are equipped with safety tongs and proper receptacles to collect syringes.
Holroyd Council’s Ordinance Inspectors are on duty seven days per week. Council’s telephone number is answered by our answering service after normal business hours and on weekends. Your request for the removal of a syringe will be conveyed to an Ordinance Inspector who will either attend at that time or will telephone you back to take details and notify you when it will be removed.
Don't panic if you accidentally injure yourself on a discarded syringe. HIV and the hepatitis virus cannot live long outside the body and the syringe has usually been discarded for some time.
Council has recently launched the new ‘Get Smart About Community Sharps’ project.
This project has been designed to:
A limited number of free sharps disposal kits are available for members of the community suffering medical conditions that require regular self injection. The kits include:
Depending on availability, more than one kit can be requested.
Holroyd Council and the above participating chemists (drop-off locations) will have additional personal sharps collection bins available to give away in exchange for full receptacles brought in by residents.
Request your free sharps disposal/education kit by visiting Council - 16 Memorial Avenue Merrylands or one of the pharmacies listed above. You can also request one by contacting Council on 9840 9840.
Have a look at the Safety Stickler brochure for more information about correct disposal of community sharps. For more information about what to do if you find syringe in the local community see the Community Sharps Disposal in NSW brochure.
For more information contact Council on 9840 9840.