The issue of who is responsible for disposal of discarded sharps distributed by Southwestern Public Health turned into a 70-minute discussion at Monday’s meeting of city council. The health unit wants to enter into a collaborative partnership with the city for pickup of used sharps. The annual cost to the city would be about $65,000, which most members of council, including Coun. Gary Clarke, oppose.
In 2019, the health unit distributed 438,000 sharps, with only about one-third of those returned for exchange.
The city this year has budgeted almost $800,000 as its annual grant to the health unit and Coun. Jeff Kohler says, in essence, the $65,000 amounts to a double payment. Kohler would like to see a true sharps exchange program to cut down on discarded sharps.
Coun. Joan Rymal calls the proposal presented to council at Monday’s meeting unrealistic. The city would be on the hook for $65,000 annually with fewer pickups from already jammed dropbins.
St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston calls the proposed partnership another example of healthcare creep. It’s something Preston stresses should be a health unit responsibility.
Preston notes healthcare is a provincial responsibility and municipalities have no way in which to recover these costs other than through ratepayers.
