By Amy Lavalley | on December 21, 2021

Although they are often produced by legitimate medical use, discarded needles and other medical sharps present a safety hazard to businesses and individuals throughout Porter County. To assist with safe and proper disposal, the Porter County Substance Abuse Council is providing free needle disposal collection boxes to any entities or individuals that wish to have a box on site.

To clarify, this is not a syringe exchange program. It is a collection for proper disposal program.

Anyone wishing to receive a free needle disposal box can go to portercountysac.com/safe-needle-disposal and fill out the application form. Applying is free.

The council is offering convenient locations throughout the county for safe disposal at no cost, in partnership with the Porter County Sheriff’s Department and the Valparaiso, Hebron, Chesterton, Portage, Burns Harbor and Porter police departments.

Used needles and other sharps are a health and safety hazard to people and pets because of the risk of injury and the risk of spreading infections, viruses, and disease. According to the CDC, about one-third of those injecting use syringes from sterile sources with the rest obtaining needles from street sources, many by way of improper disposal. By offering sharps collection options and creating more pathways for proper disposal, PCSAC is working to reduce community outbreaks of dangerous health conditions.

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