By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Cary Medical Center, with the help of the Caribou Rotary Club and other local organizations launched a new program to help create safe disposal for sharp medical items. The project kicked off on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at a special Caribou Rotary Club meeting held in the Chan Center at CMC. During the meeting the Rotary Club presented Cary Medical Center with a check in the amount of $3,500 dollars to launch the new program. Lisa Prescott, medical laboratory technologist at Cary, who spearheaded the year-long effort, praised the Rotary Club and others who have assisted with the ‘First in the State’ program.
Aroostook Republican photo/Barb Scott
During a special meeting of the Caribou Rotary Club held Feb. 23 in the Chan Center at Cary Medical Center, the local civic group presented a $3,500 donation to the medical facility helping to launch the SHARPS program which provides safe disposal of sharp medical items for Aroostook County residents. Standing beside the SHARPS kiosk, now located in the lobby of the Caribou Police Department, are, from left: Kevin Goodine, CMC safety officer; Lisa Prescott, Cary laboratory technologist, who spearheaded the new safety program; Mark Draper, Caribou Rotary Club president/director of the Tri-Community Landfill; Michael Gahagan, Caribou chief of police; Nick Archer, executive director Maine DEP; Ann King, R.N., infection control practitioner; Anna Michaud, Cary laboratory technologist and Bill Flagg, director of community relations at Cary Medical Center.
“The Caribou Rotary Club has been very generous to help us kick off this important program,” said Prescott, who also teaches in the Laboratory Technology program at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. “Their help made it possible for us to buy the very latest and ‘state of the art’ kiosk providing for safe disposal of medical sharps. We also want to thank the Caribou Police Department for their help in hosting this kiosk in the PD and the staff at Cary Medical Center who served on the Safe Sharps Disposal Committee and other organizations that contributed to the success of the project.”
The funds provided by the Caribou Rotary helped to purchase the kiosk which is uniquely designed by Chrysalis, an environmental services company. The kiosk features a number of safety features including a light indicating when the unit is close to being full and an automatic locking system that prevents individuals from entering material when the unit is full.
Once the unit is full the interior container will be removed and secured and the material will then be picked up by Oxus, a medical waste disposal company. The waste will then be incinerated at the Oxus facility in Pittsfield.
Prescott, along with a committee of other Cary staff began about one year ago to dissect the problem of medical sharps disposal. Some 6,000 people in Aroostook County use medical sharps on a routine basis; in Maine alone, more than 12 million injections by sharps are completed each year. Currently there is no formal sharps disposal program in Aroostook County and the new project will be the first of its kind in Maine. Through the purchase of the disposal kiosk which will be located in the lobby of the Caribou Police Department, individuals will now be able to bring their personal sharps containers to the PD and dispose of them safely. The project will provide the personal sharps containers at no charge to individuals and the containers will be available at the PD, Pines Health Services Physician’s Offices, the Cary Diabetes Education Program, and other locations.
In addition to the kiosk and containers, the project will also conduct a major educational program over the coming year to make area residents more aware of the safe disposal program and to stress the importance of using the safe disposal practice.
Bill Flagg, director of community relations and development at Cary Medical Center pointed out that the issue of sharps disposal is a critical environmental and safety problem.
“Each year some 600,000 to 800,000 sharps-related injuries occur in the United States”, said Flagg who will coordinate media communications for the project. “Many needle sticks go unnoticed and unreported. These can lead to life-threatening liver disease or liver cancer as well as long-term chronic disease. Children are particularly at risk and may not report needle sticks to parents due to a lack of understanding of the seriousness of these incidents. Injuries caused by sharps can put the victims at risk for HIV, hepatitis B or C, tetanus or other contagions.”
The Caribou Rotary Club heard a presentation by Lisa Prescott in 2010. A number of the members rallied for support of the disposal project. Mark Draper, president of the Caribou Rotary said he was very pleased that the club chose the Sharps Disposal Project as one of their major community projects in 2010.
“The use of medical sharps is on the increase and it is important that as a community we find a safe way to dispose of them,” said Draper who is director of the Tri Community Landfill.
“Improper disposal of sharps can place unsuspecting individuals at risk and is a particular hazard for sanitation workers, health care workers, police and others. Sharps are showing up in restaurant rest rooms, public parks, beaches and other locations. This program will help to provide a safe and accessible disposal program and will educate the public on the safe way to dispose of these hazardous waste products,” he said.
Aroostook R publican photo/Barb Scott
This SHARPS kiosk, located in the lobby at the Caribou Police Department is now available to all residents for disposal of medical sharps. Smaller personal SHARP containers are also in supply at the CPD which once full should be dropped back off at the site for proper disposal in the larger kiosk. Those who, in the past were unsure as to how to dispose of the medical sharp items and stored them in heavy plastic containers, such as laundry soap comes in, are also encouraged to bring those containers to the CPD drop off. Improper disposal of medical sharps, such as being thrown in with household trash, etc. causes an unsafe environment for a variety of workers. Even if the items are secured in a heavy duty plastic jug, if they are combined with everyday trash, when crushed in a garbage truck, the containers usually break apart, leaving exposed sharps, consequently creating health risks for others.
Mike Gahagan, chief of police in Caribou, said that the Safe Sharps Disposal program was another example of the community working together to solve its own issues.
“This is just another example or our community getting together, facing up to a problem and working together to solve it,” said Gahagan, whose department also works on unused or expired prescription drug return. “Caribou is really taking a leadership role in an issue that is a challenge for the entire country. We hope that people will take advantage of this program and help to keep our environment safe for everyone.”
The next step in the project is to purchase a second kiosk for the Presque Isle Police Department. The Presque Isle PD has also offered to serve as host of the kiosk. The Presque Isle Kiwanis Club has provided funds to help support the project but more dollars are needed.
The Caribou Police Department was selected as the site of the kiosk for a number of reasons. The sharps disposal committee wanted to have a location that was available 24-7 and that was monitored, safe and accessible. The Caribou Police has also offered to pick up filled personal sharps disposal containers for shut-ins who contact the department. Individuals wanting more information about Safe Sharps Disposal can visit the Cary Medical Center website and download a brochure or they may call the Community Relations Office at 498-1376. Cary is working with local agencies to help get the word out to seniors and will be creating public service announcements.
