The state wants Rhode Islanders to adopt safer ways to dispose of their used hypodermic needles.

There has been a sharp increase in needles showing up with recycled bottles and cans at the Central Landfill in Johnston. That puts workers at risk and is causing the assembly line there to be shut down as often as 10 times a day.

The state departments of health and environmental management have now agreed to advise individuals to put needles into strong containers such as bleach bottles or coffee cans, and dispose of them in the trash in a way that limits the opportunity for them to come in contact with people.

This is an unexpected shift from recent policies.

The state’s Resource Recovery Corporation contributed $25,000 annually to support the distribution of needle disposal containers at pharmacies and other locations throughout the state.

The collection system was coordinated by the Diabetes Foundation of Rhode Island. But the foundation abruptly stopped paying a medical waste company to pick up the discards, according to Sarah Kite, director of recycling services for the Resource Recovery Corporation.

The foundation’s telephone is disconnected. Recent court announcements indicate a receiver has been chosen to handle the foundation’s assets.

Two years ago there was another spate of needles showing up at the state’s recycling center. At that time, Cherie K. Fisher, who was executive director of the diabetes foundation, took steps to encourage people to make use of the foundation’s Eureka! Sharps Disposal Program.

Fisher estimated then that about 20,000 Rhode Islanders regularly use needles to inject insulin and other medications.

With the recent demise of the diabetes foundation, Kite said DEM and the Department of Health got together “really quickly” to revise their guide for Rhode Islanders.

“We couldn’t be more appreciative,” Kite said. “On a normal day, we have to stop the [recycling] line a few times to pick out needles. But now it’s up to 10 or 12 times a day.”

She said workers have to put on heavier gloves and eye protectors and use a special tool to pluck the needles from the recycled goods.

Individuals must stop throwing needles into recycling bins, Kite said.

Medical professionals are expected to use commercial disposal services, she said.

To see the health department brochure, go to: www.health.ri.gov/environment/risk/sharpsmt.pdf.

More information is available at the resource recovery site: www.rirrc.org/content/index.php?id=questions/ needle-disposal.

plord@projo.com