Improper office disposal of needles and other sharps: an occupational hazard outside of health care institutions.

An employee of a private disposal company suffered a finger needlestick injury while collecting waste at curbside from a building containing medical offices. Subsequent inspection of the contents of the garbage bags revealed the presence of used syringes and unsheathed needles. The Ministry of the Environment has developed a regulation and guidelines for the handling and disposal of biomedical waste including needles and other sharps. These specify that approved carriers and receivers are required for disposal; properly decontaminated waste is considered non-hazardous solid waste and can go to landfills. However, responsibility for curbside pickup of waste lies with municipalities; some municipalities have enacted by-laws which prohibit collection of this waste at the curbside. This incident illustrates that improper disposal of biomedical waste (including that from private practitioners' offices) may occur despite efforts to control its handling, and that needlestick injuries can occur outside of health care facilities among personnel who are not health care workers. Efforts are needed to increase the level of awareness among health professionals regarding their responsibility to ensure proper biomedical waste disposal from private offices. In addition, efforts should be made to bridge the gap between all levels of government regarding the disposal of biomedical waste.