Dumping of biohazard containers continues By SANDRA STONE More biohazardous materials were dumped alongside Meade County roads Feb. 23, bringing the total number of incidents to somewhere between 15 and 20 since December. The materials are the contents of the “sharps” containers found in doctor’s offices and hospitals. Medical facilities pay a great deal of money contracting with companies to dispose of these materials properly, but they’re not getting to their proper disposal site. Instead, these containers are being tossed out after they are no longer of use to the person dumping them. When the containers are thrown out, they break open, and needles, vials, syringes scatter along the roadside. To add insult to injury, said Meade County Sheriff Butch Kerrick, they found IV lines with blood still in them during the incident Feb. 23. “You take a child, they’re curious, they pick it up and get stuck,” said Kerrick, “and you’re dealing with possible contamination.” Most of these incidents have been located in a centralized area: south of KY 1638, off Gumwell Road, Buck Knobs Road, Doe Haven Road, Osborne Road, and KY 1238 just south of Garrett. “You’re talking about a 10-mile radius,” said Kerrick. The materials have been taken to the Meade County Health Department, which now has two large shipping boxes full. Some of the containers were intact. Others had broken open and contained narcotic vials, tubes of blood and other intravenous medications, according to Angie Whobrey, R.N., with the Meade County Health Department. Based on the condition of the narcotics vials, Kerrick, in consultation with medical professionals, concluded that the vials were probably being emptied of any remaining narcotic content after patient use. “I’m assuming it’s an employee of one of the pickup companies. Once they’re placed in containers on these trucks, they’re locked down. It has to be someone with access to these things,” said Kerrick. Based on the amount of materials being dumped, said Kerrick, they have to be coming from a much larger medical facility than any in Meade County. “No doctor’s office in Meade County, including Jewish, would have this amount,” he said. “We’re closer than we have been to resolving this,” said Kerrick. “I feel sorry for the person I catch because I’m going to make an example of it.” Then he paused. “I just hope some innocent person doesn’t pay that price first.” Anyone with information about the dumping of biohazardous materials is urged to contact Meade County Dispatch immediately at (270) 422-4911.
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