A supervisor at a recycling centre in Lossiemouth has described the moment he pricked his finger on a needle pulled from a bag of rubbish.
Now Moray Council is urging residents to dispose of used needles responsibly.
The worker was taken to accident and emergency where blood tests were taken – fortunately the results came back clear.
Two needles have been found recently by members of the recycling team sorting through waste from residents’ purple bins at the council’s materials recovery facility in Lossiemouth, operated by Moray Reach Out.
The injured man, who did not want to be named, said: “Whilst emptying a bag of household waste from one of our bins into our waste skip, I had put my hand underneath the bag as it was disintegrating, to throw it into the skip when I felt something sharp stab my finger. I dropped the bag and immediately pulled off my glove, to see there was a small prick on my little finger on my left hand that had started bleeding.
“When looking into the bin to see what it was, I saw that it was a needle. I immediately went to the first aid room where I bled out my finger and cleaned it with warm water and soap before putting a waterproof plaster over it and replacing my gloves for a new pair.”
Residents using needles/syringes for medical or other purposes should dispose of them in a sharps box – a specially designed rigid box with a lid – to protect themselves and others during the disposal process.
Sharps boxes are available on prescription and can be arranged through a GP or pharmacist.
Councillor James Allan, who represents Heldon and Laich ward and lives in Lossiemouth, said: “The worker and his family must have been very worried.
“It is concerning because there have been a lot of drug busts in the area recently.
“Some needles were found near the local primary school in Elgin not that long ago.
“And this recycling centre in Lossiemouth is quite near the high school.
“I know the council and GPs have special boxes they give out so that people can dispose of needles safely. There isn’t any excuse for it. They should be disposing of them properly.
“It must have been a shock for the worker.”