Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, the Redlands Fire Department will discontinue the Sharps Container Exchange Program at Fire Station 261.

City of Redlands residents who use hypodermic needles for any medical condition, including administering pet medications may still drop off full sharps containers at the Household Hazardous Waste site operated by San Bernardino County from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays at 500 Kansas St. in Redlands or Monday through Friday at the San Bernardino County Fire Department Household Hazardous Waste Division site at 2824 E. “W” St., Bldg. 302 at the San Bernardino International Airport in San Bernardino.

For more information on safely disposing of sharps containers, visit the following websites:

CalRecycle: https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/homehazwaste/sharps/

San Bernardino County Fire Department, Household Hazardous Waste Division: https://www.sbcfire.org/ofm/hhw/HouseholdHazardousWaste.aspx

Sharps containers are puncture resistant and meet government standards for protecting employees and the public from unwanted needle sticks while allowing for safe disposal of items such as syringes and hypodermic needles used for administering medication and lancets for testing blood sugar. Potential hazards of improperly disposed needles include puncture injuries and the spread of blood borne communicable diseases, such as HIV or hepatitis. The greatest risk is to solid waste employees who handle trash where sharps are improperly disposed and to health care workers. The public can also be put at risk when sharps are improperly disposed of in trash cans or elsewhere.