Sherborn BOH: Medical Waste in Household Trash Banned

The Sherborn Board of Health wishes to inform the residents of Sherborn that effective July 1, 2012, Massachusetts Department of Public Health regulations [105 CMR 480.000: Minimum Requirements for the Management of Medical or Biological Waste (State Sanitary Code Chapter VIII)] will not allow the disposal of medical waste in household trash.

This ban includes needles, syringes, and lancets used at home by residents who must self-inject medications as part of their health regimen.

These items may no longer be brought to the recycle/transfer station.

The Department of Public Health has compiled a list of regional collection sites for disposal of medical waste, and this list is available at: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/aids/needles-syringes-disposal.pdf.

Sherborn residents may also choose to use postage-paid mail back kits in which medical waste is placed in a container and mailed directly to a medical waste handler.

Several companies provide this service and can be found online.

For any further questions visit the Sherborn Board of Health website at: http://www.sherbornma.org/Pages/SherbornMA_BOH/index or call the office at 508-651-7852.

SHERBORNBOARD OF HEALTH
William Wirth, M.D., Chairman
Emmanuel Psilakis, Vice-Chairman
Peter Liffiton, Member