When sharps – needles, syringes, lancets, and similar objects – aren’t disposed of properly, it can be downright dangerous for workers at recycling facilities.  Even when sharps are put into plastic containers, they can still break open and stick the employees, leaving them vulnerable to catching a disease.

“It’s a very common problem. We get sharps on our container line and our paper lines on a daily basis,” said Chris Miller of Outagamie County Recycling & Solid Waste.

The Outagamie & Winnebago County Sharps Disposal Program Team have begun a pilot program that now allows individuals to dispose their sharps for free at local Pick ‘n Save pharmacies.

Here’s a list of Pick ‘n Save locations participating in the program:

2400 W Wisconsin Ave. – Appleton
2700 N Ballard Rd – Appleton
511 W Calumet St. – Appleton
828 Fox Point Plaza – Neenah
1940 Koeller St. – Oshkosh