Sharps Policy

Purpose

The inappropriate disposal of sharps - needles, syringes, scalpels, razors and other blades and clinical waste, injecting equipment or any item contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids is a major concern to the ACT Government and the Department of Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS). Parks, Conservation and Lands (PCL) is the agency in TAMS responsible for the management of urban parkland and other urban open spaces, and also built assets such as playgrounds and public toilets. Public safety and the safety of staff involved in the cleaning and maintenance of these areas is a high priority.

Background

The use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs is commonplace in Australia, and the impact of associated harms affects all levels of our community. These harms may include accidents and injury, sickness and disease, premature death, crime, violence and anti-social behaviour, as well as personal and social disruption to families and relationships, loss of quality of life, loss of productivity and other economic costs (From Harm to Hope: Act Drug Strategy 1993:31).

It is a reality that drugs are present in our society. Illicit drugs which are used intravenously, or injected, are not as common as other drugs, however, where there are these types of drugs there are needles, syringes and other injecting equipment. These are sometimes carelessly discarded and have been found in parks, playgrounds, on the sides of roads, in laneways, in bins, public toilets and other public places. Intravenous drug users utilise a variety of needles, syringes (sharps) and injecting equipment which is classified as clinical waste once used, such as skin cleansing alcohol swabs; plastic tubes or bottles filled with water; and spoons or other small containers to hold and mix drugs.

Irresponsibly discarded sharps present the risk of needlestick injury to the public and employees. A needlestick injury has the potential to infect the person who received the injury with blood-borne infections such as Hepatitis B or C, or HIV. While the risk of contracting one of these blood-borne infections from a needlestick injury is very low, the collection and safe disposal of discarded sharps remains a high priority.

The Resource

Parks, Conservation and Lands manage approximately 5250 hectares of urban open space, including town, district and neighbourhood parks, pedestrian parkland, laneways, road verges and medians and water surfaces. Located within this urban open space are 65 public toilets and 460 playgrounds. The cleaning and horticultural maintenance of 79 precinct areas is also our responsibility. Another major responsibility is Canberra's urban lakes and ponds- the two major lakes, Lake Ginninderra and Lake Tuggeranong, the small lakes in Gungahlin, Tuggeranong and Belconnen and the Molonglo River above Lake Burley Griffin (Lake Burley Griffin is managed by the National Capital Authority).

Strategic Direction

Parks, Conservation and Lands strive to ensure safe and easy access to and within urban open space; encouraging play, recreation, sport and social interaction in an enjoyable outdoor setting; and ensure urban open space is pleasant to be in and remains and attractive feature of our environment.

The ACT Government has a vision for the future of Canberra as a "clever, caring community". Within that vision, the Government is working towards developing a community that is "safe, healthy and active" (From Harm to Hope: ACT Drug Strategy 1999:4). The main principle underpinning the ACT Government's approach to the problem of drugs is harm minimisation. Harm minimisation aims to improve health, social and economic outcomes for both the community and the individual and encompasses a wide range of approaches, including supply reduction, demand reduction and harm reduction strategies. A harm minimisation approach involves preventing and reducing anticipated harms of alcohol and other drug use. These harms are spread widely through the community. Both those who use and misuse drugs and those who do not are affected in a variety of ways. The risk of suffering some harm, however indirectly, affects every person in the ACT to some degree (From Harm to Hope: ACT Drug Strategy 1999). Within the harm minimisation context, it is the role of Parks, Conservation and Lands to ensure safe recreation and urban open space areas for the community. With regard to sharps, this role is fulfilled by the provision of sharps disposal containers in all public toilets, the inspection of urban open space by cleaning and horticultural maintenance contractors, and the provision of a Sharps Hotline to collect sharps reported by the community from urban open space and lakes and ponds. Four Sharps Drop-Off Points are open from 8:00am to 4:00pm from Monday to Friday. These Drop-Off Points are located at the CityScape Depots at: Allara Street, Canberra City; Botany Street, Phillip; Scollay Street, Greenway and Moubray Place, Belconnen.

1. Parks, Conservation and Lands aim to remove sharps and clinical waste from urban open space as quickly as possible.

As soon as a needle, syringe or any clinical waste is found in an area under the management of Parks, Conservation and Lands, either by an employee on a routine inspection or by a member of the public, it is reported and removed by a trained employee. Parks, Conservation and Lands manage approximately 6500 hectares of urban open space which includes parkland, public places at shopping centres, laneways, playgrounds, lake foreshores and lake surface.

ACTIONS

• The ACT Government has a 24 hour Sharps Hotline - 13 2281 - for any person to report sharps or clinical waste which has been discarded irresponsibly. If the sharps or clinical waste are located on unleased land, a City Ranger will pick up the sharps or clinical waste as soon as possible.
• Regular inspections of open space areas are undertaken by contractors. These inspections include specifically looking for sharps and clinical waste. Public toilet blocks are inspected daily, public places at shopping centres are also inspected daily. Playgrounds and barbeque sites are inspected on a weekly basis, and parks are inspected during routine maintenance work.
• The number of sharps disposed of in the appropriate way- in needle and syringe disposal units - is estimated and recorded by Parks, Conservation and Lands .

2. Parks, Conservation and Lands aim to remove sharps and clinical waste from Canberra's urban lakes and ponds as soon as possible.

Canberra's urban lakes and ponds are a component of a highly integrated drainage system, and they also serve flood management, ecological and recreation functions. The Canberra community values the lakes and ponds for reasons such as: aesthetic qualities; appreciation of the existing natural systems and aquatic life; the wide range of available recreational opportunities, including swimming and boating; facilities for family and group gatherings including barbeques; and opportunities to interact with the natural environment. Unfortunately, sharps and clinical waste are found in and around lakes and ponds and lake foreshores.

ACTIONS

• Parks, Conservation and Lands remove sharps and clinical waste found in lakes, lakeshores and stormwater outlets as soon as they are found.
• The major lakes with the highest intensity of use- Lake Ginninderra and Lake Tuggeranong - are inspected and cleaned where required at a minimum of twice a week, and more often if required.
• All other lakes and ponds are inspected and cleaned where required at a minimum of once per week, and more often if required.
• If a special event has been held on or around any of the urban lakes or ponds, the area will be cleaned and inspected following the event.
• The location and number of irresponsibly discarded sharps are recorded on a monthly basis by Parks, Conservation and Lands .

3. Parks, Conservation and Lands provides sharps disposal containers in all public toilets in urban open space.

Urban open space in Canberra is extensive. Parks, Conservation and Lands manages areas where public toilets are located. Public toilets are one of the more common places for intravenous drug users to inject drugs, so the provision of sharps disposal containers is essential for the responsible disposal of injecting equipment - sharps and clinical waste. Also, the vast majority of injecting drug users are aware that disposal facilities are available in public toilets, so they are more likely to dispose of sharps and clinical waste in a responsible manner.

ACTIONS

• Sharps disposal containers are provided in all public toilets managed by Parks, Conservation and Lands .
• Sharps disposal containers in public toilets managed by Parks, Conservation and Lands are emptied at a minimum on a fortnightly basis, and more frequently in high use areas.
• The number of sharps (needles and syringes) disposed of in sharps disposal containers is estimated and recorded and patterns of use are determined from data kept by Parks, Conservation and Lands.
• In locations where high numbers of sharps are collected, additional sharps disposal containers are provided.
• Sharps disposal containers in public toilets have been manufactured to meet the relevant Australian Standard for the disposal of sharp objects (AS 4031-1992).

4. The ACT Government Sharps Hotline is the central point for reporting any issue or obtaining information on sharps.

The Sharps Hotline - 132281 - provides information and referral for any person who may have suffered a needlestick injury. It accepts reports from and provides information for anyone who has found a sharp, and passes on that information to the agency responsible for the removal of sharps. Alternatively, if the sharps are found on private land, the caller will be advised of the appropriate disposal procedures and given the location of the nearest Sharps Drop-Off Point.

ACTIONS

• If a needle or syringe is found in a public place, DO NOT TOUCH IT with any part of your body or move it with any object. Note and mark the location and call the Sharps Hotline.
• If sharps are found on leased land (business, schools, residential dwellings, ACT Housing dwellings or Government offices) it is the responsibility of the leaseholder to dispose of them. The City Rangers will collect sharps from these areas for a service fee of $97.55.

References

• Australian Capital Territory Government (September 1999).From Harm to Hope: ACT Drug Strategy 1999.
• ACT Government- Department of Urban Services (June 1991). Clinical Waste Manual.

Legislation

• Clinical Waste Act 1990