On Friday April 3, 2020, City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George and the Mass League of Community Health Centers will organize the second annual citywide Syringe Take Back Day in the City of Boston. On Syringe Take Back Day, neighborhood health centers throughout the City will offer temporary collection hours for safe needle disposal from 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

On Syringe Take Back Day, local community health centers in Boston will accept your home-generated and personal-use syringes for safe and free disposal. Please secure your syringes before visiting a participating health center drop-off site. 

Last year, the City of Boston reported collecting upwards of 700,000 improperly discarded syringes. The growth of sharps litter is one of the worst side effects of the opioid crisis, an epidemic that disproportionately impacts the residents of Boston. In addition to the opioid crisis, many other medical conditions, like diabetes, also require safe disposal options for home-generated syringes. Massachusetts law prohibits disposal of home-generated sharps waste in the trash or recycling containers. With the rising quantity of volume of syringes, improper disposal poses a major threat to public health, public safety, and the environment.  

With only 10 drop-off sites in the City of Boston, there is an insufficient amount of sites to respond to the need for safe and free disposal options. By doubling the number of safe drop-off sites, Syringe Take Back Day is a step in the right direction that will both raise awareness and improve access to free and safe disposal of sharps for everyone in the City. 

Please join City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George, the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, the Boston Public Health Commission, the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Services, the Activist Lab at the BU School of Public Health, RIZE Massachusetts, and Procter and Gamble to reduce the number of improperly discarded syringes in public spaces in Boston.

On April 25, 2019, the first-ever citywide Needle Take Back Day will take place in the City of Boston. On Needle Take Back Day, neighborhood health centers throughout the City will offer temporary collection hours for safe needle disposal from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

One of the worst side effects of the opioid epidemic is the growing number of improperly discarded needles in our parks and public spaces. The purpose of this day is to also raise awareness and education about proper handling of used sharps for everyone. This includes people who use them legally as part of their regular medical treatment to those who suffer from substance abuse disorder.

With only 10 drop-off sites in the City of Boston, there is an insufficient amount of sites to respond to the need for safe and proper disposal of used needles. By doubling the number of safe drop-off sites, Needle Take Back Day is a step in the right direction that will both raise awareness and improve access to free and safe disposal of sharps for everyone in the city.  

Please join City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George, the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, the Boston Public Health Commission, the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Services, the Activist Lab at the BU School of Public Health, RIZE Massachusetts, and Procter and Gamble to reduce the number of improperly discarded needles in parks, household waste, and public spaces in Boston.