Five New Syringe Disposal Locations Now Available in Eureka

Press release from the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services:

Needle Kiosk Needle disposal

Needle kiosk at the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services. [Photo from a previous the Humboldt Co. DHHS release.]

Five new syringe disposal locations are now available in Eureka, adding to Humboldt County’s variety of options for safe, legal and convenient disposal of used syringes.

The additional locations are part of a joint effort between Humboldt Waste Management Authority and the City of Eureka, and include the Adorni Center, Wharfinger Building, Humboldt Bay Fire Station 1, Eureka City Hall and Eureka Police Department.

In December, the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) responded to community concern about syringe litter by installing two syringe disposal kiosks in Eureka.

Since then, thousands of syringes, weighing nearly 55 pounds, have been safely disposed of in the kiosks.

The Eureka DHHS kiosks are located at Public Health, 529 I St., and Social Services, 929 Koster St. A third one is scheduled to be installed at the main Mental Health location, 720 Wood St., soon.

These bins are part of the department’s Public Health Branch, Division of Healthy Communities, Syringe Services Program, which provides syringe exchange and disposal, overdose prevention education, HIV and hepatitis C testing and referrals, substance use treatment referrals, and other services.

In addition to the city locations and kiosks, HWMA also accepts sharps in red biohazard sharps containers for no-charge at several locations in McKinleyville, Eureka, Fortuna, Scotia and Redway. For a list of locations, available hours for drop-off, and other details, visit www.hwma.net.

Used syringes should be placed in a small sharps container before taking them to a kiosk or other disposal location. Small sharps containers can be obtained free of charge from each DHHS kiosk location’s front desk during normal business hours. Containers are available at Healthy Communities (908 Seventh St.), as well as the city’s drop-off locations. Containers are also available for purchase at many pharmacies.

It is unsafe and illegal to discard syringes on the ground, in trash or recycling containers or by flushing them down a toilet.

Information about safe handling of loose syringes can be found at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration: http://bit.ly/2Fm2nHU.

For more information, call Public Health at 707-445-6200.

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24 Comments
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Mogtx
Guest
6 years ago

Well isn’t that just great what’s that say about our society???

RespectHumboldt
Guest
RespectHumboldt
6 years ago
Reply to  Mogtx

That we can see there is a public health issue in our community and don’t want our citizens especially children running into exposed needles on the streets, parks and neighborhoods. Seems like a good thing considering the problem here in Humboldt County. Better than leaving 55lbs of needles exposed in miscellaneous whereabouts. Any better solutions to the problem? Our county would love to hear about them and myself included.

rollin21
Guest
rollin21
6 years ago

Yeah, stop enabling these scumbags with cell phones, food stamps and every other bullshit, government handout known to man. Lock them the fuck up when they commit crime instead of releasing them the next day. Let bleeding heart liberals like you pony up the charity to pay for rehab if they are serious. Problem is: people like you never pony up. You want the gov to do it and then pat yourself on the back for caring about the downtrodden all the while cheating on your taxes. Hence the term hippiecrit.

THC
Guest
THC
6 years ago
Reply to  rollin21

rollin21, 👍👍👍

Norberto
Guest
Norberto
6 years ago
Reply to  rollin21

Have you even thought about the tax dollars spent if every drug user were to be locked up? Did you think about how our jails are already over populated and there is simply no space for these people; which is one reason why they are released so soon? Did you think at all? Or did you just propose an unrealistic option that has been proven to be unsuccessful and that doesnt treat nor fix the underlying cause of this crisis we are in?

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago
Reply to  Norberto

Last I checked bullets aren’t quite that expensive…

gus
Guest
gus
6 years ago
Reply to  Norberto

it cost 100 of thousands of dollars in medical cost as they destroy there teeth, lungs ,heart , blood vessels , liver damage , overdoses It will cost over a million dollars in medical cost to keep each of these drug addicts alive over 30 years of addiction not counting legal cost and loss by theft, if they were put in jail in rehab programs would be much cheaper

superd
Guest
superd
6 years ago
Reply to  Mogtx

awww, we’re so compassionate

neverlayup
Guest
neverlayup
6 years ago

wow! that’s sad to contribute to the problem! sounds like more needle kiosks then red box movie kiosks!

Chairokee
Guest
Chairokee
6 years ago

Now they have a place to catch allison.

Terry L. Clark
Guest
6 years ago

And of course, in our 24/7 Orwellian Surveillance Society, the government would never ever set up cameras to see who’s using and then “just coincidentally” the users find themselves busted in the not-so-distant future…

MK
Guest
MK
6 years ago
Reply to  Terry L. Clark

Well considering probably 90% of the people using these kiosks are normal people picking up after our drugged out needle tossing zobies. Trying to catch them by camera might not net as many addicted druggies as you would expect. I would be willing to bet the people strung out looking for shit to steal to fund their next fix really could care less where they leave their hep c infected needles.

Sad
Guest
Sad
6 years ago

A good thing…… but a sad commentary. Jesus, what happened to Humboldt? I don’t recognize it any more.

TQM
Guest
TQM
6 years ago

It isn’t just in Humboldt – it’s everywhere. The problem seems to have surged ever since soldiers came back from the first stint in the middle east starting in 2003. Just my observation.

Mogtx
Guest
6 years ago

I think Terry Clarks ideas is a sound one.

Life is good
Guest
Life is good
6 years ago

Are the people at the needle exchange place, harm reduction, or whatever it is called, out there picking up the needles they so freely give out? It should be mandatory for them.

ralph
Guest
ralph
6 years ago

Are the people at the needle exchange place, harm reduction, or whatever it is called, out there picking up the needles they so freely give out? It should be mandatory for them.

Well said!!! And they freely give out stuff paid for by taxpayer money…probably diverted from pothole funds.

Johnny Reb
Guest
Johnny Reb
6 years ago

Yes, a beautiful thing, enabling drug users. Typical leftist “solution” to things. Sick.

Squeeky wheel
Guest
Squeeky wheel
6 years ago

Meanwhile financial relief, services, and assistance for the elderly, disabled and very young dwindle .

Free drugs
Guest
Free drugs
6 years ago

They won’t use it, big ass waste of money. Why don’t we just start giving them heroin too?Build them a shelter, give em money,food, clothes,give their animals shots and food and give em a job…..oops went to far lol they not supposed to have to lift a finger! We’re just supposed to make sure they can continue to be a blight on society for free with no effort put forth by them to recover or change.I bet we can get even more homeless drug addicts to come here if we just take care of them better, we can become the biggest piece of shit refuge any county has ever seen ! Seriously people.. enough is enough, the more you cater the worse this will get, they will take stealing and drugs over work and effort every time, let’s not make that choice even easier to make !

Smh
Guest
Smh
6 years ago

It is unfortunate my comment was deleted, I did not insult anyone or invoke violence, I simply stated that we require nothing from them and we continue to supply them, longer we “ help” them the more of em we will acquire, and god forbid they have to work for any of it or pass a drug test like those paying taxes must do to pay for it.The helping them system will fail us all

Smh
Guest
Smh
6 years ago

Sorry, it’s my device it didn’t show post till hours later, my apologies 😀