New York State Safe Sharps Collection Program Wesley E. Badillo Expanded Syringe Access Program (ESAP) Coordinator NYS Department of Health AIDS Institute

History of Sharps Safe Disposal in New York State Safe Disposal of hypodermic needles and syringes 1992 - Syringe Exchange Programs (SEP) were established Collect ~ 3,000,000 annually 1993 – Hospitals and nursing homes are mandated to accept them from individuals as a community service 2001 – Implementation of the Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program (ESAP) and the creation of community-wide coalitions that linked syringe access and safe disposal 2001 - New York State Safe Sharps Collection Program In 2006, approximately 12 tons of syringes and other sharps were collected

ESAP Regulations In 2000, the New York State Legislature changed the Public Health Law to authorize a demonstration program to expand access to sterile hypodermic needles and syringes. ESAP regulations authorize licensed pharmacies, health care practitioners and Article 28 facilities to furnish/sell up to 10 syringes per transaction to people 18 years old and older Safety insert must be included with each transaction – Information includes safe disposal

What the Insert says about Disposal Disposing of Syringes and Needles Safely To dispose of used syringes and needles safely: Put used syringes and needles in a plastic bottle, such as a laundry detergent or bleach bottle; the bottle should be unbreakable and puncture-resistant. Close the screw-on top tightly and label your sealed container: "Contains Sharps". Don't use coffee cans; plastic lids can come off easily; don't use glass bottles which may break. Do NOT put a plastic container with used syringes out with the recyclable plastics. Check with your local health, sanitation, or public works department or trash collector before you dispose of used syringes and needles in your household trash. Hospitals accept used syringes and needles when put in containers using the steps listed above. The used syringes and needles then become regulated medical waste and the hospitals must handle them in accordance with Environmental Conservation Law. This helps to protect the environment. Syringe exchange programs in New York State can dispose of your used syringes and give you new, sterile syringes. Exposed needles are dangerous. If you don't have a puncture-resistant container, recap your needle after you use it. Don't recap needles used by other people For more information on where you can safely dispose of your used syringes, visit the Sharps Collection Site Directory site. This list includes alternative sites that are not hospitals or nursing homes.

Where do these syringes get disposed? An important component of ESAP is the New York State Safe Sharps Collection Program Syringe Exchange Programs accept used syringes Hospitals and nursing homes (930) are mandated to accept home-generated sharps as a community service To help facilitate the collection of used sharps, the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute encourages other sites such as pharmacies, health care centers and community-based organizations to become an alternative safe sharps collection site To become an alternative safe sharps collection site you must register with the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute

Sharps Containers Provided by NYSDOH free of charge

Setting for Collection Sites Pharmacies Housing facilities County landfill sites County solid waste transfer stations Community based organizations (i.e., adult day care center, MMTP, walk about teams) Social service agencies Veteran hospitals Mobile Vans Health centers Community college Airport Bus depot Police station

ESAP Demonstration Projects in New York State 33 demo projects throughout the state 30 projects are involved in the promotion of safe disposal activities 3 projects are community-wide coalitions that actively recruit agencies/facilities to become safe sharps collection sites

As an ESAP-registered provider you can: Furnish syringes and provide harm reduction material to clients Provide Personal sharps containers (fitpacks) for proper disposal of syringes Encourage clients to dispose of their syringes and fitpacks in a kiosk and/or in hospital and nursing homes, not in the garbage Provide education, information and referrals to patients A combination of… All of the above

Samples of Safe Disposal Advertisement in NYS I. Billboard in Montgomery County County

Samples of Safe Disposal Advertisement in NYS II. Billboard in Erie County

Samples of Safe Disposal Advertisement in NYS III. PSA- Freddy the Frog

A key aspect that has made this program successful is the collaboration and partnership established among agencies, government entities and waste hauler companies

For Additional Information on ESAP Contact: Wesley E. Badillo, MD, MPH Coordinator Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Project NYS Department of Health AIDS Institute 90 Church Street 13th Floor New York, NY 10007 Ph: (212) 417 4746 Fax: (212) 417 4709 E-mail: web03@health.state.ny.us