Local Officials Join Recycling Industry to Raise Awareness for Safe Disposal of Sharps Containers

GRAYSLAKE, IL--(Marketwired - Oct 9, 2015) - A coalition of government, business and community leaders came together to raise awareness around new state law regarding safe disposal of used medical needles and syringes. The new law is designed to prevent the improper disposal of medical syringes, hypodermic needles and other injection medications (collectively "sharps") which pose a very serious and costly hazard to families, communities, businesses and the individuals that handle the collection of recyclables.

Approximately one out of every 12 households includes someone that uses sharps. Unfortunately, well-intentioned residents are accidentally contaminating the recycling stream by placing needles or sharps containers in recycling carts where they can break open at the recycling facilities putting workers in danger. Senators Linda Holmes, Melinda Bush and Martin Sandoval joined Representatives Ann Williams, Rita Mayfield, Laura Fine and Thaddeus Jones to sponsor legislation prohibiting the mixing household generated sharps with any other material intended for collection as recyclables earlier this year. Governor Bruce Rauner signed the bill into law this summer. The new law was championed by Waste Management of Illinois, and gained the support from other organizations including the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, Illinois Environmental Council, Illinois Manufacturers Association, National Waste & Recycling Association and the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County.

"We thank the legislators that sponsored this legislation in the Senate and House for recognizing the importance of protecting recycling workers safety and we urge all households to not mix their sharps containers with recyclables," said Lisa Disbrow, spokesperson for Waste Management of Illinois, Inc. "Every year billions of needles, syringes and lancets are used across the country and it is important we in Illinois do our part to make sure we are disposing of them properly. When those sharps end up in curbside recycling carts they pose a serious threat to our employees and workers."

First introduced by Senator Linda Holmes in February of this year, the new law, which amends the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, prohibits the mixing of household generated sharps with other items intended for collection as a recyclable material by a residential hauler. "Throughout the state, many people use sharps to treat all kinds of medical conditions in the home; and raising awareness of how to ensure proper disposal is the intent with this law," said Senator Linda Holmes. "Improper disposal poses a danger to everyone."