Many people have medical conditions such as diabetes or allergies that require self-injections or blood testing at home. A free service of Warren Memorial Hospital, the community sharps disposal program helps residents of Front Royal and Warren County safely dispose of used medical “sharps” such as needles, syringes and lancets, reducing risk to families and waste management and landfill staff.

The hospital distributes new sharps containers to local residents at no cost. The Environmental Services Department, located near the receiving area (loading dock), distributes approved containers Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Call the department at 540-636-0409 for evening or weekend assistance to pick up a new container.) The Pharmacy, on the hospital’s second floor, also distributes containers Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The containers are made of rigid, puncture-resistant plastic, with a lid that can be sealed when the container is full. They are labeled to remind participants to return the full container to the hospital for disposal and not to put it in their regular household trash.

The hospital also offers disposal of full sharps containers free of charge to local residents. Participants may bring their full containers to a designated drop-off site at the hospital’s receiving area at the back of the building, off 9^th Street, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Warren Memorial is offering the community sharps disposal program as part of its commitment to the Planetree philosophy of patient-centered care, which includes the health and wellness of the community as a whole. Because of possible injury or exposure to disease, disposal of medical sharps used at home is a concern for the public and for waste management staff.

For more information, call the Infection Control Coordinator, 540-636-0420.