Community Needle Clean-Up Kits
Thanks to the Snohomish Health District, we have a small supply
of needle clean-up kits.
These are free to anyone who has a potential concern in their area.
Kits are available at our main headquarters location at 1525 Avenue D.
Residents and businesses in Snohomish County now have a simpler and safer way to participate in needle clean-up efforts. Starting Wednesday, free kits and needle disposal are available to residents and business owners cleaning up needles found in the community.
The kits include a sharps container, puncture-resistant gloves, safety glasses, tongs, hand sanitizer and simple instructions for safe collection, and can also be picked up and returned to the Snohomish Health District at 3020 Rucker Avenue in Everett during normal business hours.
Used needles left in public and private places are both a nuisance and potential safety concern. Whether they’re used to inject medicines like insulin or for illegal drugs, used needles can spread diseases like Hepatitis C through accidental needle pokes. While the risk of contracting a disease from a needle-stick injury is very low, you can further reduce that risk by using the right equipment and procedures. In addition to the kits, the Snohomish Health District and City of Everett have developed a short video on how to safely collect and dispose of used needles. Click Here to View the Video.
As a reminder, it is unlawful to dispose of needles in solid waste containers in Snohomish County. In addition to free clean-up kits, approved sharps containers can also be returned to the Health District’s Everett location during normal business hours. Please note that milk jugs, soda bottles and tin cans are not accepted sharps containers.
If you are not comfortable with handling the needle yourself or if it is in an unsafe or difficult-to-reach location, you may be able to call your local police department’s non-emergency number for an officer to respond as time and call loads allow. If it is on someone else’s property, you may also notify the property owner of the needle location.