The New York Sanitation Department is telling New Yorkers to stop throwing away their needles the wrong way.<\/p>\n
Workers have been increasingly jabbed while on the job as needle-style medications \u2014 more specifically GLP-1s \u2014 have risen in popularity.<\/p>\n
Here’s what to know.<\/p>\n
How many sanitation workers have been poked by needles this year?<\/p>\n
Over the past few years, a steady increase has been reported of workers getting poked by needles in the trash.<\/p>\n
In 2019, 25 sanitation workers were injured by needles on the job. As of Aug. 10, the agency reported 49 needle injuries so far this year.<\/p>\n
Why are more workers getting poked by needles?<\/p>\n
The Department of Sanitation said that although they don’t have specific data on the needles related to the injuries, it’s likely that the increase is connected to GLP-1 injectable medications.<\/p>\n
Workers pick up 24 million pounds of trash daily, the agency’s commissioner, Gregory Anderson, said in a video on the issue.<\/p>\n
“As more New Yorkers use injectable medications, more Sanitation Workers are getting stuck by needles & syringes thrown out incorrectly,” the department wrote on X.<\/p>\n
“STOP!!”<\/p>\n
How should needles be thrown out in NYC?<\/p>\n
A marked sharps container needs to be used in order to stop needles from poking through. But it doesn’t need to be a new purchase for your household.<\/p>\n
The agency said that even using a laundry detergent bottle labeled with “sharps – do not recycle” is enough. The leak-proof, puncture-resistant container should then be thrown in the trash, not recycled or flushed down a toilet.<\/p>\n
“Used sharps can also be taken to any hospital or nursing home in New York State (call first for hours and locations), SAFE Disposal Events or pharmaceutical\/sharps drop-off locations,” the agency said in a statement to USA TODAY.<\/p>\n
How much are fines for throwing out needles improperly in NYC?<\/p>\n
Residents are legally required to throw sharps away correctly.<\/p>\n
The NYC Department of Sanitation is now trying to amend the rules, charging those who improperly throw away needles a $250 fine instead of the current $100 charge. The $100 amount has been in effect since 2002.<\/p>\n