A new drug and syringe drop-off program has been very successful when it comes to syringes, leading sheriff’s officials to suspect medical professionals may be using the boxes designed for residents.
The boxes were placed at nearly 20 sheriff’s stations throughout the county following the program’s unveiling Sept. 29. It’s meant to give residents a safe and anonymous way to dispose of unwanted syringes, prescription drugs and illegal drugs.
The mailbox-like boxes are at sheriff’s stations in Industry, Walnut, La Crescenta, Temple City, Pico Rivera and Norwalk.
Since the program began, nearly 32,000 syringes have been dropped off, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said.
Often, officials find hundreds of the same type of syringe in the boxes, leading them to believe they’ve been left there by medical providers, he added.
The boxes are not meant for commercial use.
“We suspect the reason we’re getting so many needles is that hospitals or medical clinics may be dropping them off,” he said. “We can’t prove it, but we think the way it’s being packaged, it looks like it.”
Though there is no penalty for commercial medical companies dropping syringes in the boxes, he said, it was not the intended use and is creating a strain on the program.
“The deputies are pulling them (syringes) out and they’re getting poked,” he said, estimating it has occurred half a dozen times.
Though no infections have been reported because of needle pokes, “obviously we’re aware of it, and we’re concerned about it,” he said.
In addition to needles, the drop-off boxes have collected more than 1,200 pounds of unwanted prescription medications, Whitmore said.
The option to drop off illegal drugs has been less popular, with .87 grams of drugs — marijuana and methamphetamine — deposited in the boxes as of Feb. 13.
At the sheriff’s Temple Station, Lt. Tom McNeal said the drop boxes are being used by the community. In some cases, citizens bring in bags or boxes full of syringes to dispose of, he said.
“In our experience, we’ve been getting them from older folks who have been collecting them for years,” McNeal said. Now that they have a place to drop them off, he added, they’re taking advantage.
He said station officials were not aware of any medical companies using the boxes.
Whitmore said officials also want to remind people not to place syringes in the boxes labeled for drugs.
Sgt. Joe Van Damme of the sheriff’s Pico Rivera Station asked the public to be careful when using the boxes and to make sure syringes get into the appropriate box.
“If available, the cap for the syringe would be appreciated,” he said. “Our biggest concern is obviously the safety of the deputies and whoever’s going to be handling the syringes.”
The department now is looking at redesigning the boxes so that deputies can remove the contents without handling them, Whitmore added.
“Because it’s so successful, with the needles especially, we’re going to look for ways to protect the people who collect it,” he said.
Currently, officials from the sheriff’s Scientific Services Bureau picks up the contents of the boxes weekly and collect them in holding bins, Whitmore said. From there, they are picked up by a biohazard disposal contractor.
In a written statement, sheriff’s officials encouraged residents not to keep unneeded medication on hand, as it can fall into the hands of children or drug abusers.
Flushing drugs down the drain causes water pollution, as wastewater facilities cannot test or treat for pharmaceuticals.