Discarded hypodermic needles have become a growing concern in Saskatoon. Too often they are found in parks, near playgrounds, and schools. The fear is that someone could be accidentally stuck by a needle infected with HIV, AIDS or Hepatitis. In 1998, Saskatoon Fire & Protective Services and Public Health Services Saskatoon jointly launched a needle pick-up program.

If you find a needle:

• Do not recap the needle
• Wear garden, work or medical gloves
• Use tweezers, pliers or tongs to pick up by the end that is not the sharp end.  Keep away from your body
• Place the needle, sharp end first, into a hard container that needles cannot poke through (e.g. liquid laundry detergent or bleach container)
• Fill a container no more than 3/4 full.  If the container is too full, the needles may poke through the side
• Put the container lid on tightly and tape it
• Wash your hands with soap and water
• Store the container in a safe place away from children until you can dispose of it safely.  Do not place needles in city garbage
• Place in a needle drop box in your community.  Call 655-4444 for needle drop box locations
• Call 655-4664 if you do not have these clean-up items

Ensure children understand they should never pick up needles.

If they find a discarded needle, they should notify an adult immediately.

If you are not comfortable handling or disposing of the needle yourself, please call:

If you suffer a needle stick injury:

• encourage bleeding immediately and place your hand under running tap water to flush out the wound
• do not suck on the wound even if water is not available
• take careful note of the characteristics of the needle and injury (size, type, depth of penetration)
• do not recap the needle
• contact your doctor or hospital emergency department as soon as possible
• package the needle in a hard-surfaced, enclosed container and take it to the emergency department with you

Link to Needle Safe Saskatoon newsletter