A Wallaceburg mother is concerned about discarded needles in the community.
Kylie Leclair says her three-year-old daughter found a needle while looking for painted rocks downtown.
“We were around the library area, I’ve never come across a needle down there and it was actually my daughter who reached out,” Leclair explains. “I grabbed her arm and yanked her back. As a mom you have to know that is the scariest feeling, if my kid would have picked that up and pricked…it was a nightmare, it really was.”
Leclair says she’s been in contact with Councillor Carmen McGregor about a possible plan to have sharps containers installed in the area.
If you find a needle in a public area, you can call the Public Health Unit.
- Use caution. Treat all needles and other sharps (lancets, crack pipes) as contaminated. Do not try to put the cap back on a needle.
- If you do not have a specialized sharps disposal container, you will need a non-breakable, puncture-proof container with a lid (e.g. a hard plastic container or tin can).
- Wear gloves if possible. Gloves will help protect against exposure to fluids in or on the needle, but will not protect against punctures or cuts.
- Use tongs, pliers or tweezers to pick up the needle. Pick up a needle by the plastic end and keep it pointed away from you.
- Put the container on a stable surface next to the needle. Do not hold the container in your hand when placing the needle inside. Do not force the needle into the container or overfill it.
- Close the container securely.
- Call the Health Unit for information on safe disposal. Do not flush needles down the toilet or put them in the garbage or recycling box.
- Wash hands with soap and water and/or an alcohol-based hand rub after handling needles, containers, and after removing gloves.
- Teach children to never touch a needle, but to tell an adult where they found it.
Click here for more information on what to do if you find a needle.