Drug paraphernalia disposal california?

GMWilsonMS

Hello, we have encountered 2 situations:
1.  while taking pics of unit to auction, we find in clear view a bunch of syringes, some have residue.
2.  while cleaning out trash in unit that did not go in auction, we found drug paraphernalia.

First and for most, the safety of our employees is paramount.  SO, how do we go about "disposing" of this stuff??

Also, if you find the stuff during prep for auction, does that not disqualify it from going to auction?  I mean, if see something illegal in the unit, (AND there is a "termination clause" in the lease due to anything illegal), does it not disqualify it from the auction process?   I would not in good conscience, want to potentially expose someone to these substances and items?

Please advise.

themage

It is specifically stated in our agreements that units containing unsafe and illegal items can not be auctioned and will have disposal fees added. We are not in CA so your legal options may differ from ours.


Get a heavy duty puncture resistant container (sharps containers can be bought online), gloves (we double up with nitrile / latex and heavy leather), mask, grabber stick and broom with lobby style dustpan or shovel. Whatever you have to do to avoid touching anything or stepping on it. For us, the container must be RED. Make sure the container is clearly labeled and well closed.


Lookup your local sharps disposal site and ask them what they require.
https://safeneedledisposal.org/states/california/

i43storage

If I come across anything illegal (which I have), my first order of business is to contact the police (local, state, or federal depending on what I find).  As soon as a warrant is obtained, the police will happily take it off my hands (and anything else the warrant states to take).  I share all information about the tenant with them as well.

tombryan

Ensuring the safety of your employees is indeed a top priority. Handling situations involving syringes or injections and drug paraphernalia requires careful consideration to minimize risks.

teamcapitola

We are in California (Santa Cruz County) have had this situation happen multiple times over the years.

Pharmacies like CVS will provide empty Sharps containers and will take the containers back for disposal.

I bought heavy duty "puncture proof" gloves and clean out any needles etc. VERY VERY slowly and methodically. I never make my staff deal with it.

EDIT - In California you can also contact law enforcement to come and collect any drugs / paraphernalia
but usually, these units only contain the used needles which we take to local CVS pharmacy.

You can also hire "Hazmat" pros to come in but it's expensive.

I think I've even posted about infamous "needle units" on this forum before!