Editor's Note: The following was submitted by The Sharon Health Department.

The Sharon Health Department receives several calls a month from residents asking about proper disposal of sharps, medications and mercury thermometers.

The town has disposal kiosks located at the Sharon Police and Fire Departments and mercury thermometers can be exchanged for a digital one. Mercury thermometers can be exchanged at the Health Department during business hours. 

In July 2012, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) passed a regulation that ”home sharps as well as unopened packages of hypodermic needles and lancets shall not be disposed in solid municipal waste.” 

The Sharon Fire Department has a residential sharps disposal kiosk that is accessible every day between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Red biohazard boxes are preferred. If one is not available, then all sharps must be in an opaque (not clear), puncture proof container such as a detergent or bleach bottle. The container must be sealed and labeled “Do not recycle.”  Please do not leave sharps outside the Fire Department door.

With more than 3,000 prescription medications available in the United States and hundreds more over the counter medications available for purchase, proper disposal of medications is an emerging social and environmental concern. 

Medications that are past their due date or were prescribed for a condition no longer present should be discarded and not kept in the house. This decreases the risk of ground water contamination or illicit drug use. The Sharon Police Department lobby has a medication disposal kiosk that is available 24/7. Prescriptions, over-the-counter meds, samples, pet medication, ointments and liquid medications in a glass or leak-proof container are accepted.

The town of Sharon is fortunate to have these services available and with everyone’s effort, unwanted hazardous waste and medications will be discarded properly. If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact the Health Department at 781-784-1500, ext. 206.

The following was submitted by the Sharon Police Department:

The Sharon Police Department has a drug disposal container located in the front lobby of the station on South Main Street.

Various types of medications that are left of the medicine cabinet are abused by teens and young adults. Improper disposal of the medications can have an adverse effect on our water supply.

Expired, unused, or unwanted prescription and over the counter medications can be placed in the container. This includes pills, creams, liquids, etc.

No needles or bloody medical waste should be placed in the container.

The Sharon Fire Department has a container for needles in the station lobby located at 92 South Main Street. The container is available 24/7 and no paperwork needs to be filled out.

For more information about this service, contact Officer Steve Fontes at 781-784-1587.