OT-found needles in driveway

[I~love~pie]

I didnt know where to put this, I was thinking family safty but that was all about car seats. so if it needs to be moved thank you

We took our trash out this morning, dh said he found 5 needles next to my car which was in the driveway.
He really had to get to work so he picked them up and wrapped them in a bag and put them deep in the trash barrel. Then called me on the way to work. I said we should call the police , he said no they are probably someones insulin needles. It was very windy last night and lots of snow melted so they could have there for a week for all we knew.
I went out to make sure there where no more, and I found 5 more on the very end of my driveway. we live on the corner of a very busy steet, and then our street which is a dead end and everything blows into our yard.
I guess he could be right, isnt that very random that 10 needle made there way into our yard, dont people have to dispose of them in some sort of box? maybe that box broke but why would they ALL go into my yard.?? if they where for drug use would there be 10???
They where clear need bodies with orange caps on them, and they said something insulin on the side...

[AndrewsMother]

New or used?

[I~love~pie]

I really cant tell you, ive never seen needles before besides at the doctor. They where not wrapped in plastic...is that what you mean??
Thinking about it there was a orange plug like thing on the end covering the needle
so maybe they are not from drug users? would they care enough to cover the needle?

[AndrewsMother]

I would think that a drug user would just drop the needle stagger away. It in also unlikely that someone would be able to sit in your driveway long enough to shoot up with 10 needles.

I am guessing that large gusts of wind before the snowstorm blew the needles into your yard.

My Aunt was a diabetic and he needles were never wrapped in plastic, they came in a plastic covered box. The needled had orange ends like you described.

[Pariah]

Our cat is diabetic, so we have needles and they say "for somethingsomething insulin" on the side...can't remember of the top of my head. Orange cap over the needle, and they go in a sharps box after they're used. Maybe someone put them right into the trash, and not into a box first. The needles we get come in a plastic bag of probably 20 of them.

[Tilia]

I am diabetic and we have to dispose our needles in specific boxes. They are hard plastic and the needles can't come out. We can also use old laundry detergent containers, but when it is full, you have to duct tape all around the container so it won't burst open at the landfill.

It could be that someone was being careless with their needle disposal. But who would do that to your garbage men??

[TortelliniMama]

Please don't leave them unprotected in your garbage can. Last year one of our garbagemen was stuck by a needle left in a can. It doesn't really help to put them deep in the can, because he was actually stuck by it after the can had been dumped. I guess it didn't make it all the way into the hopper of the truck and he tried to sweep it (and whatever was hiding it from view) further in. Even if the needles are from insulin, and the person using them had no blood-borne diseases, if a sanitation worker is pricked by one, he/she will be in for a long spell of worry.

I would probably call the police, just to let them know what's going on. Otherwise, you could either take them to a doctor's office/hospital and ask them to put them in a sharps container, or do the laundry detergent bottle as a PP mentioned.

[laohaire]

It's a serious hazard regardless of whether they were used to shoot up heroin or insulin. Clearly they were supposed to be in the trash (as opposed to some junkies shooting up in your driveway and leaving) and either the person is not following procedures for proper disposal, or they did make an honest effort but something burst open for whatever reason.

If it were me, I'd spend some dedicated time with at least one other person looking for more needles to ensure they were all picked up.

I'd dispose of the needles properly.

Then I'd let it go unless you found even one more needle again. And then I guess I'd call the police. It's a public hazard. Even if they don't handle the issue themselves they should be able to refer you to the correct agency. Assuming this wasn't a one-time snafu, the person who is doing this needs to be located, and an authority needs to take the proper steps with them.

Also, you really can't assume heroin junkies don't care about needle disposal. I'm sure some (many?) don't. But other addicts are careful, or try to be. But the dangers of needles in your yard remain regardless of the source.

ETA: You know what, I would call the police now, not just "next time." The source of this problem may very well have really tried to follow proper disposal, but they should know that it failed and know how to prevent it in the future.

[I~love~pie]

Thank you ladies. I did take them out of the trash and put them in a container like you said. Our town hall has a needle disposal system.

After I posted the second time it was daylight, I did walk around the vincinity of my house and surounding houses to look for more. I didnt find any thankfully.

[Tilia]

Very weird!

[dbsam]

If they were re-capped at the end I'm guessing they belong to a neighbor on meds. While TTC I went through many needles. I contacted the town about proper disposal and was told I should throw them away in gallon milk jugs along with the trash.
I decided to purchase the sharps disposal boxes instead.