Baystate Medical Center is now offering the community the opportunity to bring their unwanted medications or sharps from their homes for proper disposal into kiosks located in the hospital’s Daly Lobby.
“Residents in the Springfield area now have a convenient and confidential way to dispose of their medications and sharps. It is our hope that this new initiative will ensure that medications and sharps are disposed of properly, keeping the community and environment clean and safe, while taking dangerous drugs like opioids off the street,” said John Murray, director, Safety & Environmental Affairs for Baystate Medical Center.
Murray noted sharps are a medical term used to cover devices with a sharp point or edge that has the potential to puncture or cut the skin, such as needles, syringes, lancets, auto injectors such as insulin pens and epinephrine, as well as infusion sets.
“Sharps are used by many people in their homes, at work, and even while traveling to manage their medical conditions or even those of their pets. Once used, sharps must be disposed of properly For those who utilize sharps daily, the amount of waste can build up quickly, and it is illegal to dispose of these sharps improperly,” Murray said.
Guide to Medication Kiosk
Acceptable deposits
Medications you may place in the Medication Kiosk are:
- Expired
- Unused
- Controlled/non-controlled
- Over-the-counter
- Hazardous
Unacceptable deposits
Medications you may not dispose in the Medication Kiosk include:
- Illegal drugs,
- Liquid containers with more than four ounces in them
- Aerosols spray cans
Guide to Sharps Kiosk
Acceptable deposits
Sharps you may place in the Sharps Kiosk include:
- Needles
- Syringes
- Lancets
- Auto injectors
- Infusion sets
These must be disposed of in a sharps container, which must be puncture resistant, non-see through bottles such as a bleach bottle or one-pound coffee can.
Unacceptable deposits
Sharps you may not dispose of in the Sharps Kiosk include:
- Loose sharps
- Blood-soaked items
- Glass containers
- Paper or plastic bags.
Nothing outside the kiosks
“Please do not leave any medications or sharps outside of these kiosks,” Murray said.
For more information, contact Baystate Medical Center’s Safety & Environmental Affairs Department at 413-794-1400.