I was walking in the park two days ago and I heard something while I was cleaning my dog. I found a hypodermic needle. I don't know how old the needle was, it may have been under the snow all winter. The needle had definitely been out there for at least a couple of days, it was broken and bent. The emergency room doctor prescribed combivir as prophylaxis against human immunodeficiency virus. The side effects are terrible, I felt like I had the flu. Anonymouswww.morningsidebarc.orgIt is estimated that nine million people in the United States use more than three billion needles. These needles and syringes are used by diabetics, hemophiliacs, infertility patients and allergy sufferers to manage medical conditions at home. Some sharps users throw used needles in the trash or then flush down the toilet. This population of self-injecting individuals continues to grow each year. Most of these needles are disposed of in household waste. Used sharps left loose among other waste can harm healthcare workers during collection rounds, in sorting and recycling facilities and in landfills. But it's not just sanitation workers who are at risk. Improperly discarded needles and other sharps put a number of other people at risk, including police and firefighters, ambulance personnel, janitorial and custodial workers, laundry and dry cleaning facilities, hotels, park employees and recreational activities. The number of needle sticks in the waste industry is very difficult to monitor. Waste disposal companies are required by law to report injuries to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's 300 logs, but due to the nature of this business, many workers may not even be aware they've been stranded. Waste workers are lifting,...... middle of paper......rse.com/?p=334.Shahan, Zachery. (October 25, 2010). "Environmental Sticking Point - Disposal of used needles and syringes". Retrieved April 12, 2011, from website: http://planetsave.com/2010/10/25/environmental-sticking-point-%e2%80%93-used- disposal-aghi-e-siringhe/Stoker, Ron. (October 2004). “Managing Diabetes Without Beating Anyone Else.” Retrieved April 12, 2011, from Infection Control Management article. www.isips.org/reports/Articles/MIC1004p14t.pdfWeinrich, R. (2 May 2007). “Removing Needles from Trash: A Necessary Effort.” Retrieved April 12, 2011, from the Endocrine Today website: http://endocrinetoday.com/view.aspx?rid=24069Www.morningsidebarc.org. (n.d.). “Morning Side builds a coalition for running.” Retrieved April 12, 2011, from website: http://www.morningsidebarc.org/i-got-pricked-by-a-discarded-syringe.html.