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Kewaunee County Wisconsin
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Sharps

To reduce public health risks such as accidental needle sticks, Wisconsin law requires all citiziens to manage sharps safetly. It is illegal to put sharps in the trash or with recyclables. 

The most serious contamination issue we encounter is the improper disposal of "sharps" - needles, lancets and syringes.

When people discard used sharps in plastic or glass bottles they sometimes end up in the recycling bin. When these bottles arrive at the facility they often break open, spilling their contents onto the conveyor belts. The conveyor belts must be stopped to remove the sharps which can take several minutes and occurs daily. When the facility stops production, operational costs increase and we face unnecesary fees to properly dispose of the misplaced sharps. Most importantly though, employees who hand sort the recylcables may develop sierous health issues resulting from an accidental needle stick. Please remind family members or friends who use sharps to properly dispose of their sharps containers at a designated collection location, not in the trash or recycling bin.

CLICK HERE TO FIND A SHARPS DISPOSAL LOCAITON or call the Department of Natural Resources at 1-888-936-7463.