Town of Port Hedland urge public to learn how to dispose of abandoned syringes

The Town of Port Hedland has urged residents to learn how to safely dispose of abandoned syringes. It said residents had reported seeing used needles in the community. “This is an unfortunate and serious matter as our community’s health and well-being are a key priority for the town,” a statement from the town said. “We want to ensure we are helping to maintain community spaces that are safe and enjoyable, but we also want to empower our community with the knowledge about what to do if they come across a needle in a public space. “Safety is a collaborative responsibility that happens across a range of agencies and whilst we endeavor to stop these incidences from occurring, sometimes we need your help.” Official guidance on how to safely dispose of a syringe says that the first thing to do is to “ensure kids know not to pick it up and if they find one to let an adult know”. The guidelines then suggest carefully placing the syringe in a hard, rigid container, being careful to only pick the syringe up by the blunt end, and then place the container in a domestic rubbish bin or inside one of the safe disposal containers in local public toilets. In all cases, residents are urged to wash their hands after touching a syringe. For more information about the safe disposal syringes, visit porthedland.wa.gov.au/our-community/community/community-safety/safe-sharps-disposal.aspx