Monroe County Executive Adam Bello Encourages Residents To Be “Sharp Smart” And Properly Dispose Of Medical Sharps

May 31st, 2024

Photo From Press Conference

Improper Disposal of Needles, Syringes, Lancets, and other Devices Used for Medical Injections Pose a Safety Threat for Workers who Handle These Materials

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Ecopark Website - Sharps/Syringes

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello today partnered with WM and Wegmans to ask residents to be “Sharp Smart” and properly dispose of all sharps used for medical purposes.

“Proper disposal of medical injection devices protects our environment and our sanitation workers, sewage treatment workers, redemption center employees, and everyone who handles these materials,” said County Executive Bello. “That’s why we’re bringing mobile collections into the community to make it easier for residents to properly dispose of sharps used for medical needs and divert them away from our waste streams.”

“Monroe County and WM have a long history of environmental leadership and reimagining a circular economy,” said Jeff Richardson, WM. “As the nation’s largest recycler, WM recognizes that the environmental challenges we face today, require bolder action, so we continuously encourage people to recycle right and recycle often.”

“Partnering with Monroe County DES allows us to provide the solution to our customers for safe disposal of sharps and syringes,” said Carl Juliano, Wegmans Rochester Pharmacy Coordinator. “It would be problematic from a safety standpoint to dispose in the trash, recycling bin or just simply flush them. Holding a Pharmaceutical Waste Collection, where the sharps/syringes are collected, allows us to give back to the community which will ensure a safe environment to the communities we serve.”

Three mobile pharmaceutical collection events will be held at Wegmans this summer. All are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m, and appointments are not required. Collection events we be held on:

  • Saturday June 15 - Latta Road Wegmans, 3177 Latta Rd, Rochester

  •  Saturday August 10 - Holt Road Wegmans, 900 Holt Rd, Webster

  • Saturday September 21 - Chili-Paul Wegmans, 3175 Chili Ave, Rochester

Residents may also dispose of sharps and syringes, as well as other medical waste, on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Monroe County/WM ecopark, located at 10 Avion Drive in Chili. For more information, visit www.monroecounty.gov/ecopark

Since 2021, more than 1,250 30-gallon totes of sharps, needles, syringes, lancets, and other medical devices used for home injection have been properly disposed of at the Monroe County/WM Ecopark.

In addition to the mobile pharmaceutical collection events, Monroe County is also hosting a series of upcoming mobile household hazardous waste collection events that will accept Sharps in participating suburbs. Residents can drop off up to 30 gallons of chemicals such as paint, automotive fluids, fertilizers, household cleaners and pool chemicals at no charge.

Appointments are required for all household hazardous waste collections, and may be made by visiting the ecopark website at www.monroecounty.gov/ecopark. Any resident of Monroe County is welcome to schedule an appointment to dispose of household hazardous waste at any location.

The household hazardous waste collection schedule is as follows:

  • Saturday June 8 – Ogden DPW, 2432 S. Union St.

  • Saturday September 14 – Penfield DPW, 1607 Jackson Rd.

  • Saturday October 5 – Irondequoit DPW, 2629 E Ridge Rd.

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