Estes Park Health provides new sharps bins for syringe disposal

EPH Environment of Care Program Manager Mark DeGeldere shows the new sharps container located by the medication drop-off in the lobby at Estes Park Health. (Wendy Rigby/Estes Park Health)

To protect the community and healthcare professionals — and to keep medical waste out of the general trash and the environment — Estes Park Health has installed two new sharps disposal containers for the community to drop off their used syringes.

For years now Estes Park Health has provided drop-offs for unused or expired medications. The EPH Pharmacy Department collects those unwanted meds and sends them to a company that destroys them free of charge.

Now EPH is adding sharps disposal bins as well. No packaging can be placed in the red sharps bins. However, small plastic containers that patients use in their own homes to collect their needles can be placed in the bins. EPH’s waste company will dispose of the sharps.

The medication drop-offs and sharps collection containers are in two places in Estes Park Health. One set is in the lobby to the left when you enter the front of the hospital. These containers will be accessible during business hours. The other location is in the lobby of the Emergency Department at the back of the hospital. These bins are accessible 24 hours a day.