Needles and Syringes: A Sharp Predicament

by Roberta M. Dwyer, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVPM

Several times at horse shows and fairgrounds I have seen needles and syringes carelessly tossed in trash barrels or muck piles. What can I do to protect my family, employees and myself from this hazard?

A needle found in a trash can or in a muck pile could have been used for a penicillin injection on a horse, or used by a person with a contagious disease. Add to that a child playing with a needle as a toy or anyone walking barefoot stepping on a used needle and there is a potential for disastrous results. What exactly are the hazards and what can be done to make the environment a safer place?

The most common problems with getting cut or punctured with a needle used on a horse are bacterial infections, including tetanus. These alone can be quite serious if not properly cared for by a physician, since puncture wounds often require antibiotics to treat the infections. Of further concern is if the needle were used on a person with an infection of HIV, hepatitis virus, or any number of different bacteria. The diseases caused by these pathogens can have deadly consequences.

Strict guidelines are enforced for the disposal of medical wastes generated at hospitals and veterinary practices including needles, syringes, blood, and other tissues. In some states, veterinarians are required to obtain a license and pay hefty fees for disposal of medical waste. Guidelines for horse owners and farm managers are not so easily defined.

Contact your state Public Health Department or State Veterinarian's office for recommendations on disposal of needles and syringes. On the road, you often will encounter the situation of your concern: no biohazard or "sharps" containers are provided at the horse show grounds (or race track), and you have nowhere to safely dispose of used needles and syringes. You can purchase an official biohazard waste receptacle. Local medical supply companies or pharmacies often carry a variety of containers since people taking injectable insulin and other medications also need a safe way to dispose of needles.

You can make a sharps container by getting an empty gallon or half-gallon sized bleach or liquid detergent bottle made of heavy plastic. The heavy plastic is necessary to avoid accidental punctures from needles if the container is stepped on-a milk jug will not suffice! Clearly mark the container as a sharps receptacle. When the container is full, seal the top with a piece of duct tape.

Depending on your situation, a sharps container on the farm as well as one for being on the road might be most convenient. If you only rarely use needles and syringes, take them to your veterinarian for disposal.

Make sure that farm employees who may need to inject a horse know the importance of the sharps container. Also keep the container in a safe place where children cannot reach it. Know that illicit drug users might steal needles and syringes-used or not. Therefore keep all materials in a safe place, especially on the road.

What about getting rid of used needles? Since you have already visited with the Public Health Department in your area, you should know proper sites of disposal. Sometimes your local hospital or veterinarian can dispose of the container. Be aware that a charge might be incurred since these health professionals also pay fees for disposal. However, knowing that you have handled this medical waste in a safe manner and the needles are not of hazard to children or others is well worth the cost.

• Educate children, clients, and employees of the hazards of needles and syringes. If children find these materials anywhere, whether at school or at a horse show, they should not move them. Instead an adult needs to be notified.
• Adults can contact their local Public Health Department or State Veterinarian's Office concerning state regulations for disposal of medical waste. Laws vary widely from state to state and even from county to county.
• Purchase or make a sharps container and label it.
• Properly dispose of a filled sharps container through the Public Health Department, veterinarian, or local hospital.
• If the horse facilities you use at horse shows do not provide sharps containers, contact the proper personnel and urge them to provide approved biohazard boxes for the use of all participants.

Roberta M. Dwyer, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVPM, is an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center in Lexington, Ky. She also is a member of the veterinary advisory board to The Horse.

Reprinted from The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care