Jeff Spargo, Program Coordinator of Mitchell-Yancey Substance Abuse Task Force is warning people of our area about the dangers of finding needles in public places. He recently found a needle filled with an unknown substance on the ground outside of a store in Asheville. According to Spargo needles have also been found in public places in Yancey and Mitchell counties. If you find something like this, contact the police immediately. They have the materials and experience to safely pick up the needle and dispose of it properly. Only as a last resort, if waiting for the police poses a hazard, put on gloves and pick up the opposite end of the sharp side. Do NOT throw directly into the trash as the cap could come off and the needle stick the person taking out the garbage. If you do not have a sharps container, place the needle in an old detergent bottle, tape the lid shut and write “sharps” on the outside before throwing away. Do NOT place in a plastic water bottle or other thin plastic containers as the needle could pierce the side and stick someone. The Mitchell-Yancey Substance Abuse Task Force has recently begun a safe needle disposal initiative in our community. For more information contact the Task Force at 682-7899.
