PIPD the latest drop site for unwanted sharps
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — The Presque Isle Police Department not only serves as a 24/7 drop-off location for unwanted medications, it now is the site of a kiosk for the disposal of medical equipment like syringes and hypodermic needles — one of two locations sponsored by Cary Medical Center. The other drop-off site is the Caribou Police Department.
Staff photos/Kathy McCarty
A SHARPS DISPOSAL KIOSK has been placed in the lobby of the Presque Isle Police Department, thanks to funding from the Aroostook County Fund of the Maine Community Foundation which was presented recently to Cary Medical Center, whose staff have spearheaded efforts to place such units first in the Caribou Police Department and now in Presque Isle. Pictured for the unveiling of the kiosk and check presentation from the ACFMCF to Cary Medical Center are, from left: Presque Isle Police Chief Matt Irwin; LaNiece Winslow, president of the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club (which also contributed toward the kiosk); Lisa Prescott, Cary laboratory technologist who worked to make the kiosk a reality; John Pelletier, member of the Aroostook County Fund; Officer Matt Cummings, Caribou Police Department; and Dana Fowler, director, Presque Isle Public Services Department.
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| PUBLIC SAFETY over the disposal of medical sharps was the driving force behind Cary Medical Center’s presentation of a sharps kiosk to the Presque Isle Police Department. | SAFETY CONCERNS DISCUSSED — Presque Isle Police Chief Matt Irwin and Lisa Prescott, Cary laboratory technologist who worked to make the sharps disposal kiosk a reality at the Presque Isle Police Department, talk about the advantages of having a safe way to dispose of unwanted medical apparatuses such as syringes and hypodermic needles. |
A grassroots, community effort spearheaded by Cary Medical to provide safe disposal for medical sharps expanded to Presque Isle, following the success of the Caribou location which was made available at the CPD earlier this year. The Aroostook County Fund of the Maine Community Foundation presented a check for $3,000 to the hospital to purchase a new, state-of-the-art disposal kiosk, which is now located in the lobby of the PIPD.
During the presentation, held Oct. 26, Lisa Prescott, a laboratory technologist at Cary who took on the problem of sharps disposal, said that the County is quickly creating a model.
“We are so pleased and grateful to the Aroostook County Fund of the Maine Community Foundation for their generous support and that the PIPD has agreed to host this kiosk,” said Prescott. “We now have both the Caribou and Presque Isle police departments providing a great community service. We’ve had other communities express interest as well. People across the state are looking at our model; it’s just another example of Yankee ingenuity that is so common here in Aroostook County.”
Prescott launched the effort to create a safe sharps disposal program after encountering a number of disposal practices that presented risks for accidental needle sticks. She explained that patients simply did not have a reliable, consistent and safe method to dispose of their used sharps.
“We have literally hundreds of people in Aroostook County using medical sharps every day and that number is growing rapidly,” she said. “The issue is a concern across the state and a legislative committee has been exploring options. We came up with a solution here in the County that is practical and accessible for area residents.”
Thousands of accidental injuries — many with serious consequences — occur each year in the United States due to needle sticks. Used syringes have turned up in playgrounds, on beaches, in public buildings, department store restrooms and other locations. Locally, police have investigated recent reports by citizens of needles found on their lawns or in parking lots. The Safe Medical Sharps Disposal Program will reduce that problem in Aroostook County.
John Pelletier, a member of the Aroostook County Fund, said that the foundation was pleased to partner with Cary Medical Center and local communities to address the issue.
“The Maine Community Foundation is pleased to support the sharps disposal program. We at the Aroostook County Fund see this as a very positive development in helping to improve overall public safety,” said Pelletier, who resides in Van Buren. “This is truly a grassroots effort that originated here in the County and, like many of the projects that develop here, it involves collaboration among many agencies and communities.”
The Presque Isle Kiwanis Club also provided support for the purchase of the kiosk and participated in the media event announcing the Presque Isle expansion.
Matt Irwin, chief of the PIPD, said that his department was glad to make the kiosk available.
“This is really a positive step for public safety,” said Irwin. “The program demonstrates how local law enforcement is engaged in the local community and working with others to improve the quality of life in The County.”
Irwin said public safety was a major concern that led to adding the kiosk in the lobby.
“It’s a safety issue — for the public and police. The kiosk is anonymous — those dropping of items aren’t required to give their name,” said Irwin.
Irwin said since the department accepts unwanted medications on a daily basis, safety has been an ongoing concern.
“When people return drugs, sometimes there are needles, syringes, sharps. It’s been a concern but now we have in-house disposal as well as canisters we can loan out for people to properly dispose of these items,” said the chief.
Dana Fowler, director of the public service department which encompasses solid waste disposal, said this will protect his staff as well.
“Items like these create a big risk factor for those working in the solid waste department, as well as for trash collectors. This is a great thing to have and helps eliminate the threat,” said Fowler.
The new sharps disposal kiosk features a number of safety features including electronic notification alerting officers when the unit is full. It is designed to accept used needle containers up to one gallon in size. The program also provides personal sharps disposal containers. People may also use one-gallon hard plastic detergent containers to dispose of used sharps and take them to the kiosk.
Cary Medical Center has also partnered with the Northern Maine Development Commission on a solid waste management grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program and has received $3,000 to develop public service announcements to educate the public on safe sharps disposal.
Bill Flagg, director of community relations and development at Cary Medical Center, said that Prescott did “some outstanding work in the development of the safe sharps disposal program” and credited Prescott with bringing together a number of partners in the process.
“Lisa really took this project on — committed herself to it — and helped make it happen. She has represented our program at the legislative study committee and she has gained the support of the local landfills, police departments, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, local civic groups and others to really make this a community-wide effort. We are very grateful for all of the support we have received. The effort will continue to grow,” said Flagg.
Brochures on the Safe Medical Sharps Disposal Program are available through Cary Medical Center or by visiting carymedicalcenter.org. Representatives from the hospital are also available to speak at meetings about the issue of medical sharps. For more information, contact the Public Relations office at Cary at 498-1112 or the PIPD at 764-4476.
