Sharps Enhancement Program | City of Brandon

Safe Disposal. Safer Communities.

The City of Brandon is committed to creating a safe, healthy, and welcoming community for everyone. As part of this commitment, the Sharps Enhancement Program provides outdoor, 24/7 public access sharps disposal containers at strategic locations throughout the city.

Sharps containers offer a safe and convenient way to dispose of used needles, lancets, syringes, and other medical sharps. While many people associate sharps disposal with intravenous drug use, sharps are used by a wide range of community members for legitimate medical purposes. People living with conditions such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, infertility, arthritis, allergies, and other health conditions may use injectable medications or testing devices that generate sharps requiring safe disposal.

By providing accessible disposal options, the City helps reduce the number of improperly discarded sharps found in parks, back lanes, public washrooms, green spaces, and other community areas. Safe disposal protects residents, visitors, City staff, emergency responders, and community organizations from accidental needle-stick injuries while helping keep public spaces clean and accessible.

Why Outdoor Public Sharps Containers?

Low-barrier, 24-hour access ensures that individuals can safely dispose of sharps whenever the need arises, regardless of the time of day, transportation limitations, housing status, or access to healthcare facilities. Public sharps containers are a practical public safety measure that benefits the entire community.

The program supports:

Community safety by reducing improperly discarded sharps in public spaces.
Public health through safe and responsible disposal practices.
Environmental stewardship by preventing sharps from entering parks, waterways, and waste streams.
Accessibility and inclusion by providing disposal options for all community members who use medical sharps.
Harm reduction and injury prevention by reducing the risks associated with unsafe disposal.

The City of Brandon encourages residents to use approved sharps containers whenever possible and to dispose of all needles and sharps responsibly. Together, we can help keep our neighbourhoods, parks, and public spaces safe for everyone.

Need to Dispose of a Sharp?

View the City of Brandon Sharps Container Map to find the nearest 24/7 disposal location.

Sharps Container Map (326 KB)

The City of Brandon would like to thank our partners at Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation, 7^th St Health Access Centre (PMH), Community Health & Housing Association (CHHA), John Howard Society of Brandon, and Samaritan House Safe & Warm Shelter. Thank you to the peers at the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network for your continued engagement and feedback.

Safe Sharps Pickup

If you find a needle or other sharp in a public space, follow these simple safety steps.

1. Stay calm and keep your distance

Do not touch the sharp with bare hands.

Keep children and pets away from the area.
Avoid kicking, breaking, or moving the sharp with your hands.

2. Use a tool or wear gloves

If available, put on puncture-resistant gloves. At the very least put on latex gloves. Use:

Tongs
Pliers
A litter picker

Never pick up a sharp with your bare hands.

3. Pick Up Safely

Pick up the sharp by the plastic barrel or body, not the tip.

Keep the pointed end facing away from yourself.
Do not bend, break, recap, or manipulate the needle.

4. Place in a sharps container.

Immediately place the sharp into an approved sharps container. If an approved sharps container is not nearby:

Use a rigid, puncture-resistant container with a secure lid. (ex: empty pop bottle, juice container, laundry soap container)
Transport carefully and dispose of it at the nearest approved sharps disposal location.

5. Clean up

After disposal:

Remove gloves carefully.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

If you are stuck by a needle:

Stay calm.

Allow the wound to bleed gently.
Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
Seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Contact a healthcare provider, urgent care, or emergency department for guidance.

Contact

Shannon Saltarelli
Community Housing & Wellness Coordinator
s.saltarelli@brandon.ca
204-720-1042