Effective Handling of Sharps (needles, syringes, lancets, EpiPens):
- Property owners are responsible for cleaning up their property which if applicable, includes the clean-up of sharps found on their property. For guidance on how to properly pick up and dispose of sharps, please follow the guidelines below.
- If sharps are found in public parks or greenspaces contact the Parks Department at 204-729-2148 or parks@brandon.ca. For other public property like streets, back lanes and sidewalks call the Public Works Department at 204-729-2290 or email publicworks@brandon.ca to report.
- Sharps found on public property can also be immediately disposed of by citizens following the guidelines below.
Guidelines for picking up and disposing of sharps:
Put on plastic gloves and puncture proof gloves if available. Use tongs, pliers or tweezers to pick up the plastic end of the needle. Point the tip down and away from your body. DO NOT try to put the cap back on the needle.
- Put the needle in a sturdy plastic container (sharps container that can be purchased at a pharmacy, empty bleach or laundry detergent bottles, or empty drink bottles with a lid). Close the container securely and tape the lid tightly.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- Please do NOT place bottles in the recycling or garbage bin. Needles in a secured plastic container can be taken to the designated community sharps locations listed below:
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- Brandon Regional Health Centre at 150 McTavish Avenue East (located in between the front doors of the hospital)
- Outdoor sharps kiosks accessible 24/7 at the following locations:
- 7th Street Health Access Centre at 20-7th Street (Kiosk also located inside the lobby - open 7 days a week except statutory holidays)
- Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation at 440 Rosser Avenue
- Community Health and Housing Association at the NW corner of 12th Street and Rosser Avenue
- John Howard Society Brandon at 153-8th Street
Garbage and Waste Removal – Private Property:
- Businesses and residents are expected to maintain their own property including debris on their property.
- If there is a situation of debris from an unauthorized homeless encampment or unauthorized congregation on private property, please let the Community Housing and Wellness Coordinator for the City of Brandon know at housingandwellness@brandon.ca. Please include the address or general location of the area of concern and if known when the encampment developed, whether people appear to be sleeping at the site and any other pertinent details. Reported sites will be visited by City staff and an outreach and clean-up plan actioned shortly thereafter.
- From the City of Brandon Community Standards By-Law 7282
- A person shall not place, cause or permit to be placed any waste bin on premises or Property they own or occupy, unless the waste bin:
- (a) is equipped with a lid or cover capable of completely covering the waste bin;
- (b) is kept closed or covered at all times, except for the actual loading or unloading of waste
- (c) contains only material that will not emit an excessive/obnoxious odour; and
- (d) ensures that loose refuse or debris to be collected and contained on the premises or Property will not be blown out of the bin so that they do not escape onto adjacent or other neighbouring properties.
- If debris is being blown onto your property from an adjacent property that is not adhering to the standards listed above, please contact City of Brandon By-Law at 204-729-2345.
Garbage and Waste Removal – Public Property:
- To report overflowing public waste bins and recycling bins, damage to public waste bins, or debris on public property please call Sanitation at 204-729-2281 or email solidwaste@brandon.ca. Sanitation will respond in a timely manner based on available resources.
- Public waste bins in public parks are rolled out to the street on garbage pick-up days by City of Brandon staff.
Human Waste on Private Property:
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on how to safely remove human waste found on the ground and dispose of it. This document has been created with consultation from Manitoba Public Health, Prairie Mountain Health, The City of Brandon and online resources from the Centre for Disease Control and other bio-clean organizations.
Please note the process outlined below is to address the issue of cleaning up human waste, not animal waste.
If there is human waste found on private (residential or business) property please use the following guidelines:
- If the human waste is on a hard surface it can be scraped or scooped up, cleaned and then disinfected (see below for further instructions).
- If the human waste is on grass or soil, scoop up what you can and clean the surface where the waste was using hot water and an environmentally friendly cleaning agent or disposable cleaning cloths. Do not use bleach on soil or grass. If you cannot get it all cleaned up we recommend fencing off the area to avoid cross contamination.
Just to note; Urine and Fecal matter are not considered biomedical waste therefore can be disposed of in your residential or municipal garbage.
Cleaning Instructions
What you will need:
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Cleaning gloves, face mask, face shield or eye protection (optional)
- Disposable plastic bags
- Paper towel
- Something to scrape with that can be easily disinfected or disposed of. A folded paper plate can work effectively as a scoop.
- Dish soap or cleaning detergent
- Bleach or disinfecting wipes. Please note that bleach breaks down quickly so it should be mixed fresh before each time you need it.
- Put on the appropriate PPE. Scrape up as much solid waste as you can. Work inward from the least soiled areas to the most soiled to prevent unnecessary spreading. Place waste and debris (ex: toilet paper) in a disposable bag (double bagging is preferred).
- Use hot water, soap and paper towels or disposable cloths to clean the soiled area. Repeat until the area appears to be clean and ready for disinfection. Throw out paper towels/cloths, preferably in a double bagged garbage bag.
- Follow the instructions for the disinfectant product you are using (ex: ensure you mix bleach with water) and check if the product needs to sit on the soiled area for a period of time to break down the infectious material. Throw away any materials or disinfectant wipes used to clean with into a disposable plastic bag.
- After the recommended contact time, or a minimum of 1-2+ minutes, rinse the area thoroughly with water and let dry.
Basic Hygiene Practices Following Human Waste Clean Up
- Wash hands with soap and water immediately after handling human waste.
- Avoid touching face, mouth, eyes, nose, or open sores and cuts while handling human waste.
- Do not smoke or chew tobacco or gum while handling human waste.
- Keep open sores, cuts, and wounds covered with clean, dry bandages and use waterproof gloves.
- Gently flush eyes with safe water if human waste contacts eyes.
- Clean any contaminated clothing or footwear with 0.05% chlorine solution (1 part household bleach to 100 parts water).