Have you seen a yellow bin at Watonga Street Shops or on Lord Street in Port Macquarie?
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You might be wondering what it is for.
They are called Community Sharps Disposal Bins.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Group Manager Maria Doherty said the council introduced the bins in October 2018 to allow people to dispose of needles and syringes.
"People rely on using needles and syringes to maintain their own health or that of a family member," Ms Doherty said.
"Injecting equipment is also used by people who inject drugs and for animal healthcare by pet and livestock owners."
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council also has community sharps bins at all Council waste facilities as well as the Laurieton and Wauchope CBDs which have been operating since 2011.
The bins can be used to dispose of needles, syringes, lancets (finger prickers) and similar equipment.
Ms Doherty said those items should be kept separate from other wastes because of the possible risk of injury to workers.
"When put in these bins, they pose the risk of injury to waste collection operators, recycling facility operators, landfill staff and the public," she said.
"They should be disposed of correctly by putting into a sealed puncture-resistant plastic container and placed into one of the community sharps bins that are available."
Since their installation Ms Doherty said 57.7kg of items have been collected at both the news bins collectively with a collection due this month.
