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Household Medical Waste Disposal
Household Medical Waste Disposal
The State of Illinois has not created a formal policy on the disposal of syringes or other medical products used by individuals at home. However, there are certain recommendations for proper disposal.
The State of Illinois has not created a formal policy on the disposal of syringes or other medical products used by individuals at home. However, there are certain recommendations for proper disposal.
Bandages & Dressings Disposal Medicines
Soiled bandages, dressings, and disposable sheets should be placed in securely fastened plastic bags before being placed in your regular trash.
Soiled bandages, dressings, and disposable sheets should be placed in securely fastened plastic bags before being placed in your regular trash.
Medicines & Pharmaceuticals
Household medicines, including over-the-counter drugs and prescription medicines (except for controlled substances) may be brought to the Public Works facility at 3900 Berdnick, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m..
Residents should leave the medication in the original container to identify their medication, however, they may cross out any names and addresses to protect their privacy.
Curbside Collection
If you are not able to use our drop-off site, these items can usually be disposed of safely without presenting a threat to the environment. Out-of-date or otherwise unusable or unwanted household medicines may be disposed of in the trash if the materials are securely wrapped to minimize tampering or crushed and mixed with wet garbage.
Flushing Household Medicines
Flushing even small quantities of household medicines down the drain is discouraged. Some medicines can disrupt or destroy the useful microorganisms in the sewage treatment system and/or may pass through the system intact and potentially contaminate downstream water resources.
Household medicines, including over-the-counter drugs and prescription medicines (except for controlled substances) may be brought to the Public Works facility at 3900 Berdnick, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m..
Residents should leave the medication in the original container to identify their medication, however, they may cross out any names and addresses to protect their privacy.
Curbside Collection
If you are not able to use our drop-off site, these items can usually be disposed of safely without presenting a threat to the environment. Out-of-date or otherwise unusable or unwanted household medicines may be disposed of in the trash if the materials are securely wrapped to minimize tampering or crushed and mixed with wet garbage.
Flushing Household Medicines
Flushing even small quantities of household medicines down the drain is discouraged. Some medicines can disrupt or destroy the useful microorganisms in the sewage treatment system and/or may pass through the system intact and potentially contaminate downstream water resources.
Sharps Disposal
The Rolling Meadows Public Works Department provides authorized sharps-disposal containers and the disposal of your used sharps containers at the Public Works Building. Any resident that lives in a Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC)-member community and administers home-injections is eligible to receive a 1 quart and 1 gallon sharps container. When it is full you may drop it off at Public Works for recycling.
Used sharps must never be placed loosely in your trash or flushed down the toilet.
Acceptable Curbside Containers
If you are not able to use our drop-off site, sharps should be placed in a strong plastic or metal container with a screw-on or tightly secured lid to prevent accidental contact with the waste.
Containers like empty bleach bottles, liquid detergent bottles, or heavy plastic jugs work well because they are strong enough to prevent the sharps from poking through the container and they have lids that can be securely fastened. A coffee can may also be used as long as the lid is sealed with strong tape once the container is full. The sealed container can then be placed in your regular trash. Glass should never be used as a sharps container because the glass can break and compound the hazard.
Recyclable containers should not be used as home sharps containers unless obviously labeled as containing sharps. Sharps are not recyclable and they can pose an infection risk to workers at the recycling facility. They can also render the whole batch of recyclables as unusable.
The Rolling Meadows Public Works Department provides authorized sharps-disposal containers and the disposal of your used sharps containers at the Public Works Building. Any resident that lives in a Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC)-member community and administers home-injections is eligible to receive a 1 quart and 1 gallon sharps container. When it is full you may drop it off at Public Works for recycling.
Used sharps must never be placed loosely in your trash or flushed down the toilet.
Acceptable Curbside Containers
If you are not able to use our drop-off site, sharps should be placed in a strong plastic or metal container with a screw-on or tightly secured lid to prevent accidental contact with the waste.
Containers like empty bleach bottles, liquid detergent bottles, or heavy plastic jugs work well because they are strong enough to prevent the sharps from poking through the container and they have lids that can be securely fastened. A coffee can may also be used as long as the lid is sealed with strong tape once the container is full. The sealed container can then be placed in your regular trash. Glass should never be used as a sharps container because the glass can break and compound the hazard.
Recyclable containers should not be used as home sharps containers unless obviously labeled as containing sharps. Sharps are not recyclable and they can pose an infection risk to workers at the recycling facility. They can also render the whole batch of recyclables as unusable.