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Gardner Board of Health weighs disposal options as sharps costs rise; tabletop exercise set for Nov. 20
Summary
The board discussed recent changes to medication take-back arrangements after the state police suspended use of a regional incinerator, and rising sharps-disposal costs. Staff also announced a regional public-health emergency preparedness tabletop exercise set for Nov. 20, with a local room for in-person collaboration.
The Gardner Board of Health addressed medication and sharps disposal and emergency-preparedness planning on Oct. 27.
Staff reported that the Gardner Police Department (PD) Timberlake location stopped accepting medications for disposal after a moratorium affecting use of a state police incinerator. The department noted a recent take-back event at Price Chopper and said it will pursue lower-cost disposal options and coordinate with the PD on sharps-disposal providers because monthly costs have risen.
The acting director said staff had forwarded resources used by other agencies to the police and would follow up to seek a new provider for sharps collection. No new municipal disposal provider was announced during the meeting; staff said the PD budget did not cover recent disposal-cost increases and the department will continue to monitor options.
On emergency preparedness, staff announced a public-health emergency preparedness tabletop exercise on Nov. 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The event will be conducted virtually by the regional Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program; the department will provide a community room so local participants can collaborate in person while connecting to the virtual exercise. Staff said the exercise will use regional templates and that follow-up reports and templates will be provided to the local team for completion.
The board encouraged inviting fire, police and hospital IT or emergency contacts to the tabletop exercise; staff said the draft multiple-hazards plan will be reviewed and updated as part of the process.
