Instow clean up highlights sharps issue

 

On 16th January the highly active Instow beach cleaning group undertook another survey and clean up of part of Instow beach in North Devon. One of the finds was a syringe with hypodermic needle still attached. This is a major health hazard and we are glad we found it. However, it did raise the question of how to dispose of sharps that you find on your beach cleans.

Sharp objects should always be given to the beach clean organiser to put in their sharps bucket. This could include all kinds of sharp objects like broken glass, metal etc. Disposing of them is just a case of good sense: make sure they don't pose a danger to others, wrap them and take them to recycling or landfill. But in the case of medical sharps, which is known as clinical waste, there is only one safe way of disposing of them properly. That is to take them to your local health centre, hospital or surgery where they can use standard disposal practices to get rid of them. Or by getting your local authority to take them.

In view of this it would be wise, if not essential good practice, to get hold of an NHS sharps box. The NHS should supply them if you ask at your local health centre. It's unlikely you'll fill one of these in one, or even a few, beach cleans so it could become a part of your beach clean kit.

Every local authority should have a protocol in place for disposing of clinical waste. You should be able to find out about clinical waste collection in your area by going online here.