I thought I lived in a nice area...

[Nyx]

So I had a customer come up to me, hand me her items out of her cart. I ask her the usual questions "did you find everything ok?" etc. then she says to me, as if it's the most natural thing in the world, "Oh and there's a syringe in my cart." "....uh, what...? " So I look over the counter, and sure enough, there it sat. Luckily it lacked it's sharp, but it was a bit of a shock none the less. So I grabbed a handful of plastic bags and grabbed it and threw it away. Maybe I should have called someone? I don't think they would have cared to much since it was missing the sharp part, or maybe that's scarier? I dunno...

[marasbaras]

Missing the sharp means that it may have just been used as a hobby syringe to apply glue and other things. Then again, it may have been shared by a baker's dozen of your favorite crack whores and their pimps.

Still, YUK!

[Apathy]

So what's going through their mind when picking out a cart?

"Oh look, a syringe. It's probably ok. I'll still use this cart and pile my stuff on it. I guess I should tell the cashier about it as I'm leaving."

[Shangri-laschild]

Check with your boss on what the procedure is, but since you never know what it's been used for, I'd be careful with that kind of thing. I can't believe she just used the cart anyway!

[draftermatt]

Could have been a simple Insulin syringe.

[Slytovhand]

Could have been a simple Insulin syringe.

Yeah - maybe - even so, the possibility of transferance of bodily fluids is still there, and hence the chance of infection.

I'm not a squeemish person (so I'd be fairly blaze about it), but I do recognise the potentials. I think I'd do what the customer did - except get it out of the way before doing the shopping...

[draftermatt]

Oh, it's equally as icky regardless of what the thing was used for, but I was referring to the "nice area" in the title. Syringe makes a bad area does not. Or something like that.

[Andara Bledin]

Yeah. My first thought was that it was an insulin syringe.

Still, no fun.

^-.-^

[Geek King]

Could have been a simple Insulin syringe.

Insulin or Heroin, used syringes still fall under the biohazard/bodily fluid handling procedures at most places, even without the sharp bits. That said, I'd probably do what the OP did, except maybe drop it in the sharps container, if available.

[Emrld]

Sharp end missing . . . .
Does your store have its own Pharmacy?

I know mine does and when people have to give liquid meds to children or pets (yes pet prescriptions can be filled at regular pharmacies for some meds) They will give you the dispenser that looks like a syringe with just an opening where you normally would find a needle.

So there may not have been any bodily fluids on it . . .it may have been clean from the pharmacy.

[Dips]

If there is no needle on it, it's perfectly safe and legal to dispose of a used syringe (at least where I live; your local laws may vary) in the regular garbage, just as you would with a used band aid.

It's best to use gloves to protect yourself when handling something like that, but the plastic bags made a perfectly good substitute since you didn't have access to gloves.

You used your common sense and you did just fine.

I'm still scratching my head at the lady putting all her groceries on it. Yes. It's no more dangerous than a used band aid, but I wouldn't put my groceries on a used band aid either. Yuck.

[Geek King]

If there is no needle on it, it's perfectly safe and legal to dispose of a used syringe (at least where I live; your local laws may vary) in the regular garbage, just as you would with a used band aid.

I'd be worried about the possible chemicals in it myself, but then I've seen some really bad reactions/interactions, so I might be gun-shy. Doesn't help one of the guys in the gaming group is a pharmacist and shares his interaction stories too.

[Nyx]

Missing the sharp means that it may have just been used as a hobby syringe to apply glue and other things.

Ah! Never thought of that, you might be right. It just caught me off guard and we get a druggie in our store every now and then. I had actually just learned that fact, I didn't expect there to be to many in my area, just goes to show you never know what your neighbors are up to.

Oh, it's equally as icky regardless of what the thing was used for, but I was referring to the "nice area" in the title. Syringe makes a bad area does not. Or something like that.

Yeah, I still think I live in relatively nice area, I just had no idea what to put for a title. I am quite bad at titles.

[Dips]

I'd be worried about the possible chemicals in it myself

Good point. And another reason to use gloves/grocery bags rather than bare hands to pick up anything like a syringe or used bandage if you don't know what's in it or who has been using it.

[protege]

Missing the sharp means that it may have just been used as a hobby syringe to apply glue and other things.

I've seen those...but I don't use them. Something about accidentally injecting myself with locomotive oil bothers me