New - To report on drug paraphernalia items that you have cleaned up around the city use the Drug Paraphernalia Reporting Webform.
Safe handling and disposal of needles
What to do if you find used needles, glass stems or other drug paraphernalia |
If you find a discarded needle or other drug paraphernalia, you have two options to safely dispose of the item.
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Safe handling and disposal of needles |
Review the safe handling and disposal guidelines and training module for detailed instructions on how to dispose of needles and drug paraphernalia - Printable instructions. This document is currently not in an accessible format. An accessible version will be available shortly.Materials required:
Instructions:
Children should never touch needles or other drug paraphernalia. If a child finds a needle, teach them to report it to a trusted adult who can arrange for the item to be dealt with safely. |
Sharps kit pilot program |
Ottawa Public Health is committed to supporting the safety of residents who are collecting needles on private property and those individuals going above and beyond by retrieving discarded drug paraphernalia in the community. In recognition of the community’s existing efforts, sharps kits are available to equip those individuals with the appropriate tools and training to reinforce personal safety while retrieving needles and drug paraphernalia. What is included in a sharps kit?Sharps kits contain the full set of tools required for safely retrieving discarded needles and drug paraphernalia. They include instructions covering safe handling and disposal, needle drop box locations, and what to do in case of a needle stick injury. Contents:
How do I access a sharps kit?Sharps kits will be available for pick-up as of May 1st, 2024, from participating locations.
Is there a cost?Sharps kits are supplied by Ottawa Public Health and distributed at partner sites. They are available at no cost. Are sharps kits for everyone?Sharps kits are to support the safety of residents who are collecting needles on private property and those individuals going above and beyond by retrieving discarded drug paraphernalia in the community. Businesses such as tattoo parlours and veterinary clinics that create biohazard waste cannot request a sharps kit for their own operations. For these instances, they must source their own disposal solutions. How many sharps kits can I request at once?An individual may collect up to three sharps kits at a time. A larger container can be requested if required. Please speak to the attendant about your needs. Where can I dispose of sharps kits?Sharps kits can be disposed at any needle drop box across the city. See the needle drop box map for the location nearest you. Sharps kits, like needles, are biohazard waste and cannot be disposed of in a garbage or recycling bin. If I retrieve drug paraphernalia myself, how will the City be aware of the amount being discarded in my neighbourhood?Ottawa Public Health relies on reporting from all retrieval streams to inform program service-planning. When you retrieve discarded needles and drug paraphernalia, report it through the Drug Paraphernalia Reporting Form. Your reporting identifies the activity in your area. I have a question that wasn’t answered on this page. Who do I speak to?Review the Discarded Needles in Our Communities webpage, for more information on:
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Training module |
What to do in the case of a needle stick injury |
The following instructions also apply to injuries occurring from other potentially contaminated objects in the community - printable instructions (pdf - 118 KB). This document is currently not in an accessible format. An accessible version will be available shortly.
What are the risks associated with needle stick injuries that have occurred from community exposure? When a needlestick injury occurs, concerns arise about exposure to blood-borne viruses, particularly human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). The risk of getting these viruses via a community needle stick injury is extremely low and can be further reduced with prompt medical attention. If previously vaccinated for hepatitis B, the risk of HBV transmission is virtually zero, and individuals are encouraged to ensure they are up to date on this and other vaccines The risk of transmission of HIV, HBV and HCV via a needle stick injury acquired in a community setting is far less than in a healthcare setting because:
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Disposing of sharps in a Needle Drop Box | ||
It is against the law to dispose of needles, glass stems, or other sharps in the garbage or recycling (By-law 2012-370 Schedule G - Prohibited Material). The Needle Drop Box Program provides Ottawa residents with secure and tamper-proof drop boxes located at approximately 80 locations across the city to allow for the safe and convenient disposal of sharps. See the Needle Drop Box Locations map below to find the needle drop box nearest you.
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Collecting and returning medical sharp containers to pharmacies | ||
Used needles, syringes and glass stems are prohibited in regular garbage bins. Sharp containers for safely disposing of these items can be collected and returned to pharmacies participating in the Health Products Stewardship Association's free take-back program. Visit the HPSA website to find the nearest participating pharmacy. |
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Responsibility for needles found on private property | ||
Property owners are responsible for removing discarded needles / paraphernalia from their property.
For additional resources, please visit the Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health Business Support Toolkit. The toolkit is here to support local businesses and their dedicated employees, with a suite of practical resources designed to enhance safety, health, and overall community well-being. |
Integrated strategies to collect discarded needles in our communities
Keeping Ottawa neighbourhoods safe is our collective responsibility. In an effort to promote community safety, Ottawa Public Health (OPH), along with numerous City and community partners, has implemented a variety of measures to provide safe options for disposing of drug paraphernalia and addressing items that have been improperly discarded.
The Needle Hunters – Daily crews patrol the communities of Lowertown, Sandy Hill, Centertown, Somerset W, Hintonburg, Carlington and Vanier to retrieve needles that have been discarded in public spaces. | |
City of Ottawa staff – With the coordinated support of several City departments, City staff respond to requests for needle retrieval anywhere on City property with a priority response. Residents can request this service by calling 3-1-1. | |
Needle drop boxes – With over 80 24/7 publicly accessible locations across the city, needle drop boxes make disposing of needles easy and safe | |
Harm reduction services and partner agencies – Dedicated to people who use drugs, approximately 30 agencies across the city are available to collect needles and other drug paraphernalia.
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Household Hazardous Waste Depots – Hosting multiple events throughout the year, Household Hazardous Waste Depots collect all kinds of waste that cannot be collected in the regular waste stream, including medical sharps, and drug paraphernalia.
Sharps kits are available to equip those individuals with the appropriate tools and training to reinforce personal safety while retrieving needles and drug paraphernalia. |
Monitoring community needs and program effectiveness
Estimated number of needles retrieved | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ottawa Public Health consults with a variety of community partners including residents, people with lived experience, harm reduction partners and City departments to discuss local needs, community concerns, and retrieval sources/data to ensure the program’s effectiveness. General considerationsOttawa Public Health retrieves needles and other drug paraphernalia through multiple collection streams. Various streams use different mechanisms for recording the number of needles collected including by count, weight, and visual estimate. The data represents an estimate of the number of needles collected. The following table represents the estimated total number of needles retrieved by each collection stream per year.
*The number of needles collected by Needle Drop Boxes and Household Hazardous Waste Depots are estimates based on weight and are impacted by factors such as refuse being collected alongside the sharps materials. |
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Working with individuals who use needles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ottawa Public Health operates the Harm Reduction Program that provides sterile injection and inhalation devices to promote safer drug use practices. The main goal of this program is to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, primarily HIV and Hepatitis C, and minimize the risks associated with substance use in the greater community. Our Public Health professionals also educate intravenous drug users on how to safely dispose of needles, sharps containers and other biohazards; as well as provide general health information and connect people to community supports. For more information please visit the Harm Reduction Program webpage. |
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