{"id":482236,"date":"2026-02-21T16:26:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T16:26:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/482236\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T16:26:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T16:26:09","slug":"sharps-disposal-rising-in-kootenai-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/482236\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharps disposal rising in Kootenai County"},"content":{"rendered":"

COEUR d\u2019ALENE \u2014 When a woman pulled up to the bright red sharps bins at the Ramsey Transfer Station on Friday morning, Dave Husky checked that everything was in order.<\/p>\n

The woman showed Husky how she\u2019d packaged her garbage: in a hard plastic container, double-wrapped in gray plastic bags. She\u2019d done it right.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It might seem invasive. But checking that sharps are properly contained reduces the risk of needlesticks and the spread of infections and diseases.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people are protective of their garbage because it\u2019s personal,\u201d said Husky, Kootenai County Solid Waste operations manager. \u201cBut we have to handle it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sharps are devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut skin. Needles, syringes, infusion sets, lancets and auto-injectors are all considered sharps.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kootenai County accepts used sharps from county residents, provided they meet the disposal requirements.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Husky said the number of sharps that come through the transfer stations is on the rise. At the Ramsey Transfer Station, which can see up to 2,000 customers daily, employees empty the pair of 55-gallon sharps bins multiple times per week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to determine the cause of the increase. Husky said multiple factors are at play, including a growing population and aging residents who generate more medical waste than they once did.<\/p>\n

The county\u2019s efforts to educate the public about the importance of separating sharps from other household waste could also account for some of the increase.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce they\u2019re educated, they\u2019re super responsive,\u201d Husky said of the public.\u00a0<\/p>\n

County residents must place used sharps into plastic containers with thick walls. Containers made specifically for sharps are the best option, but laundry detergent bottles, milk jugs and bleach bottles are also acceptable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to protect the employees and the public,\u201d Husky said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These containers must be clearly marked as sharps with stickers or in marker and securely closed so needles can\u2019t fall out. They must be separate from general trash and placed individually into sharps bins located within recycle islands at transfer stations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kootenai County does not handle or dispose of sharps from commercial sources, including sharps generated and collected by hospitals, clinics, dental practices, blood banks and veterinary clinics.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each piece of garbage that comes through the county transfer stations eventually leaves, including sharps.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sorting through waste at transfer stations and sending it to Fighting Creek Landfill for recycling or disposal is part of landfill diversion. This process minimizes the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills and extends their longevity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we close a landfill, we have to take care of it forever,\u201d said Husky. \u201cIt\u2019s a long-term environmental service to the county.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Info: kcgov.us\/427\/sharps-disposal-program<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/a> \u00a0Kootenai County accepts used sharps from county residents, provided they meet the requirements for disposal.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/a> \u00a0Sharps must be placed securely in plastic containers with thick walls for disposal.
\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"COEUR d\u2019ALENE \u2014 When a woman pulled up to the bright red sharps bins at the Ramsey Transfer…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":482237,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[192,79],"class_list":["post-482236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-environment","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=482236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482236\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/482237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=482236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=482236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=482236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}