By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
Disposing of medical sharps will be much easier in Aroostook County, following the recent presentation to four police chiefs of receptacles for their respective departments located in Fort Kent, Madawaska, Fort Fairfield and Houlton.
Picking up kiosks for their departments were the following police chiefs: Carroll Theriault, Madawaska; Bill Campbell, Fort Fairfield; Butch Asselin, Houlton; and Kenneth “Doody” Michaud, Fort Kent.
Lisa Prescott, a lab technician with Cary Medical Center, came up with the idea for the disposal kiosks in 2010.
“It began in 2010. On Feb. 23, 2011, the first site was set up at the Caribou Police Department. By April we had one at the Presque Isle Police Department. Now it’s county-wide,” said Prescott.
Prescott said the need is evident, given the number of people using sharps on a regular basis.
“About 11 percent of the population is diabetic. That’s over 6,000 people in Aroostook that are using sharps on a regular basis to test their blood sugar or give themselves insulin injections,” Prescott said.
Bill Flagg, director of community relations and development at Cary Medical Center, said it all started when Prescott and a co-worker assisted a patient in giving her cat, who was diabetic, insulin shots.
“Lisa saw sharps all around and thought there needed to be a safe way to dispose of such unwanted devices,” said Flagg.
Prescott worked with the Caribou Rotary Club and Maine Community Foundation, with the club providing $3,500 and MCF $3,000 to go toward the purchase of the kiosks. The latest units were obtained with $10,000 in funding provided through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The latest kiosks were presented to the chiefs during a recent meeting at the Presque Isle DEP office.
“Police departments are so community-minded. (The departments) recognized there was a problem and have welcomed the kiosks,” said Flagg.
Once the boxes are filled, Prescott said they are taped shut, transported to the landfill and buried.
“The kiosks take containers up to a gallon in size. People can use one of the containers we provide or something like a laundry soap jug — something made of hard plastic,” said Prescott.
Carol Bell, with ACAP’s Healthy Aroostook program, said boxes and bags that fit into the kiosks are provided free to the police departments.
“Caribou has been filling a box a week. We expect that may drop a bit, now that more sites are available for drop-off,” said Prescott.
Prescott said 800,000 injuries related to sharps are reported annually in the U.S.
“It’s important to provide a safe way to dispose of these items. Not only are you removing them from homes and preventing injuries to loved ones, but you’re also preventing injury to people outside the home, such as garbage collectors,” said Prescott, who added that dropping sharps off at the local police station also reduces the chance of such products getting into the hands of people looking to use needles for illicit drug use.
Prescott said she recommends using caution when opening the kiosks and removing the boxes.
“Sometimes people put things that are not appropriate in them. So when you open the door, I suggest you do so carefully and wear gloves. As a medical professional, I want you to be safe,” Prescott advised the chiefs who were present to receive the receptacles.
“We’re trying to keep it simple for the police departments. Boxes and bags will be dropped off. Solid waste personnel will handle disposal at the landfills,” said Nick Archer, regional director, DEP. “We want you to leave here with enough stuff to be well on your way.”
Mike Gahagan, chief of the Caribou Police Department, said his kiosk has a sensor that alerts officers that it’s full.
“When it’s full, it shuts the unit down and locks it, so nothing more can be put in it until it’s emptied,” said Gahagan.
Prescott said the newest units cost a bit less and aren’t equipped with sensors.
“These don’t have the bells and whistles like Caribou’s,” said Prescott.
“They don’t have the bells and whistles but we wanted to provide as many as possible,” said Archer.
Prescott suggested taping a list on the inside of the door to record each time a box is removed, that way departments can have an estimate on the amount of sharps they’ve handled.
“Each box when filled weighs about 50 pounds. We try to keep track of those figures for statistical purposes,” said Prescott.
Prescott said the kiosks are for any type of sharp, including needles and lancets.
“People don’t realize lancets can be a danger to unsuspecting individuals handling trash or cleaning a home. They can have blood on them and be a biohazard, just as a needle can be,” said Prescott.
“My wife’s diabetic. I knew needles should go into a kiosk like this but I never thought about lancets,” said Michaud. “I’ve learned something I didn’t know. We’ll take these back to our communities and work to educate our citizens on the safe disposal of sharps.”
