AHSC Boosts Community Safety with New Sharps Disposal Unit   Covington, VA (Nov. 6, 2025) - Alleghany Highlands Community Services (AHCS) is proud to announce the installation of a new, large-capacity 38-gallon sharps disposal unit at the Guinan Center Behavioral Health Clinic on South Monroe Avenue in Covington. This significant initiative is a key part of the agency's ongoing commitment to harm reduction, community safety, and environmental protection throughout the Alleghany Highlands. The new, secure sharps disposal unit offers a vital and convenient way for community members to properly dispose of used needles, syringes, lancets, and other sharps. Crucially, the unit is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ensuring safe disposal is always available, not just during clinic hours. “Providing a safe, anonymous disposal option helps protect our community, sanitation workers, and the environment from preventable hazards,” said April Miller, Prevention Services Coordinator. “This is one more important step toward reducing accidental needle-stick injuries, preventing the spread of infectious diseases, and ensuring a healthier public space for everyone.” AHCS encourages all residents, including those managing diabetes, using self-administered medications, or participating in needle exchange programs, to utilize this new resource. Community members are asked to place sharps in a secure, puncture-proof container (such as a hard plastic detergent bottle or a specialized sharps container) before depositing them in the unit. For those who do not have a suitable container, free sharps containers are readily available through AHCS’s Unity Box—a resource locker located at the opposite end of the Guinan Center Clinic on Monroe Avenue. “The installation of this high-capacity unit represents our unwavering dedication to meeting the evolving public health needs of our region,” said Ingrid Barber, Executive Director of the Alleghany Highlands Community Services. “True community wellness requires compassionate solutions that reduce risk and provide access to essential resources. This sharps disposal unit is a tangible expression of our mission to create a safer, healthier Alleghany Highlands for all residents.” This project firmly supports AHCS’s mission to promote the health, safety, and wellness of all residents in the Alleghany Highlands through education, prevention, and accessible, supportive resources.

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