PLYMOUTH — Chief G. Edward Bradley is pleased to announce that the Plymouth Fire Department will once again be collecting and disposing of sharps at this year’s regional drug take-back event this weekend.
On Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Plymouth Fire Department will be joining Plymouth County Outreach, Plymouth Youth Development Collaborative and the Plymouth Area Substance Use Prevention Collaborative for the regional drug-take back event at the Plymouth Police Department, 20 Long Pond Road.
At the event, residents will have the opportunity to dispose of any unwanted or expired prescription medications and sharps. The Plymouth Fire Department asks that residents only place needles and syringes that are in puncture proof containers or approved sharps containers into the collection bin.
The Plymouth Fire Department will also be providing sharps containers free of charge for attendees who are in need of one. The sharps containers allow residents to safely dispose of all loose or unwanted sharps.
“We encourage any resident in need of disposing sharps to drop them off at the upcoming drug take-back event this Saturday,” Chief Bradley said. “Once residents drop off their sharps, we will be able to safely dispose of them. This event is also a great opportunity to receive a sharps container if you are in need of one.”
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all individuals working or attending the drug take-back event will be required to wear a proper face covering and remain socially distant at all times.
During the height of the opioid crisis, the Plymouth Fire Department, with the full support of the Town Manager and Select Board, purchased a machine capable of sterilizing used needles and then grinding them into harmless waste that can be placed into the trash.
The sharps collection program began in July 2018 and since then the Plymouth Fire Department destroy approximately 643,000 sharps a year in an effort to reduce these types of hazards in the community.
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