Sharps are any needles, syringes, intravenous giving sets, lancets and scalpel blades. Syringes and other sharps must be placed in yellow puncture resistant Medical Sharps containers for safe disposal. Plastic bottles, tins or cartons are not designed for medical waste as these may not be puncture resistant. Medical waste containers are available for purchase from most pharmacies or Diabetes SA branches. Additionally, you can purchase a 1.4L container for $6.50 (inc. GST) or a 5L container for $11.50 (inc. GST) from your local Council office.

Sharps items cannot be disposed of in standard waste bins (general waste, recycling, organics or street litter bins). However, these containers can only be disposed of in an approved Medical Waste bin. The City of Port Adelaide Enfield provides community access (non-commercial) to medical waste container disposal at the following locations:

• Civic Centre - 163 St Vincent Street, Port Adelaide
• Greenacres Library - 2 Fosters Road, Greenacres

The following pharmacies and Community Health service providers in the City of Port Adelaide Enfield accept medical waste containers from the community (waste must be in an approved medical waste container and be non-commercial).

If you have any feedback on the service please contact Customer Service on (08) 8405 6600 or send us an email at service@cityofpae.sa.gov.au

On public land - arrange for council collection by calling customer service on (08) 8405 6600 or by lodging an online request through the Council webpage at Online Reporting of Syringes/Needles. Council staff will attend as soon as practical. Please note it is important to be highly specific about the syringe’s location.

On private property – arrange a cleaning contractor to collect syringes from rental properties or building sites at the property owner’s expense. Council will not collect from commercial properties.

It is always safer to leave the syringe/sharp where it is if it is unlikely to cause harm and wait for collection. If you elect to collect a syringe the following are important steps to prevent needle stick injury:

• Do not handle the syringe directly
• Do not attempt to break off, bend or cover the sharp end
• Find a rigid, puncture resistant container with wide opening and secure lid
• Remove the lid
• Place the container close to the syringe
• Use tongs and/or puncture proof gloves to pick up syringe and place in container sharp end first
• Secure lid to container safely and tightly
• Wash hands with water and soap
• Store container in a safe location
• Contact Council for collection (08)8405 6600 or email service@cityofpae.sa.gov.au

Managing a needle stick injury

• Stay calm
• Allow the wound to bleed
• Wash the area with running water and soap, rinse and pat dry
• Cover the wound with a band aid or dry dressing
• As soon as possible seek urgent medical advice

The City of Port Adelaide Enfield regulates, inspects and provides educational support to all public pools and spa pools within the Council. This helps facilitate pool operators to provide safe and controlled swimming water conditions for everyone in the community. Learn more about this service in the episode of our Keeping you Safe: Looking after your health in PAE - Swimming Pools.

Information for the Public

Pool user responsibility

If you use a public pool or spa there are a few simple things you can do to help ensure safe and clean swimming water is maintained for everyone:

• Shower and wash with soap before you swim
• Don’t get in the pool if you have diarrhoea, and wait another 2 weeks after symptoms subside before you get in
• Don’t get in the pool if you feel nauseous
• Put babies and toddlers in proper swimming nappies
• If anyone has an accident in the pool, report it so that the operator can take action and treat the water

Complaints about unhygienic public pools & spa pools

If you attend a public swimming pool and/or spa pool in the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and have concerns about the hygiene or water quality of the pool, you can submit a complaint under Council’s ‘Online Services’ section of the website. This will go to an Environmental Health Officer to investigate.

Information for Public Pool/Spa Operators

Notification

All public swimming pools and spas pools should notify Council before commencing operations. Use the Public Swimming Pool and Spa Notification Form (below) to advise Council of the following:

• Notification of a new public pool and/or spa pool
• Changes to ownership or lease arrangements of an existing business
• To provide updates about changes to business details such as changes to your ABN, contact details, address, or email.

If you are unsure whether you are required to notify, please contact Council’s Environmental Health Team on (08) 8405 6600.

Public Swimming Pool and Spa Notification Form

Operation of Public Pools & Spa Pools

Public pools and spas are required to comply with the South Australian Public Health (General) Regulations 2013. The regulations stipulate the required ranges of chemical concentrations in the water, along with required equipment such as automatic dosing and filtration.

Council’s Environmental Health Officers conduct routine inspections to assess compliance with the regulations.

See the link below to SA Health’s internet portal for public pools and spas, which provides resources on the following:

• Information on health issues related to public pools and spa pools
• Links to printable pool user responsibility posters
• Links to the regulations, guidelines & fact sheets on the operation and maintenance of public pools & spa pools

Public swimming pools and spa pools | SA Health

Hairdressers, tattooists, body pierces, acupuncturists and beauty therapists are inspected annually by Environmental Health Officers to ensure that safe hygienic procedures and practices are being undertaken to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Premises undertaking these activities are inspected for compliance under the South Australian Public Health Act 2011. If precautions are not taken, blood-borne diseases such as Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and various bacterial infections can be transmitted.

Acupuncturists
Acupuncture is the practice of inserting sterile needles into specific parts of the body to treat disease or relieve pain. The majority of items used in acupuncture are available as pre-sterilised and single use.

Beauty Therapists
Beauty Therapy procedures where skin penetration can occur include waxing, electrolysis, micro pigmentation, nail manicures and pedicures, lancing, and colonic lavage or colonic irrigation. Some of these procedures do not penetrate the skin under normal circumstances, however they do come into contact with other body substance able to transmit infection. Bleeding can occur during some of these non-skin penetrating procedures such as waxing, increasing the risk of the transmission of blood-borne disease.

The Guidelines on the Safe and Hygienic Practices of Skin Penetration 2004 are designed to assist Council in the administration of the South Australian Public Health Act 2011 and Regulations. Within this guideline a Skin Penetration Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan is used during the annual inspections and can be used as tool for the operator to monitor and assess the practices and procedures carried out in the premises.

Guidelines on the Safe and Hygienic Practice of Skin Penetration PDF, 430.28 KB

Hairdressers
Hairdressers are currently inspected by Environmental Health Officers using the Guidelines on the Public Health Standards of Practice for Hairdressing 2006 based on a risk assessment. The guidelines provide appropriate information on issues such as infection risk, cleaning processes, sterilisation, operator hygiene and the maintenance of cleanliness standards for a hairdressing premises.

Hairdressers participating in any form of skin penetration are required to refer to the Guidelines on the Safe and Hygienic Practices of Skin Penetration 2004.

If you are intending on establishing one of the above mentioned premises please contact Council's Environmental Health Section on (08) 8405 6600 prior to commencing business.

Guideline on Public Health Standards of Practice for Hairdressing PDF, 354.4 KB

Legionella Control

The following information is provided to owners and operators responsible for the control of Legionella in manufactured Cooling Water Systems and Warm Water Systems.

High Risk Manufactured Water System must be operated and maintained in accordance with the South Australian Public Health (Legionella) Regulations 2013, Australian and New Zealand Standards (AS/NZS 3666) and Guidelines for the Control of Legionella. Australian Standards can be purchased on-line at the Australian Standards website or locally at Standards and Technical Publications, 45D Sussex Terrace, Hawthorn SA 5062.

A summary of new laws applying to the operation of High Risk Manufactured Water Systems is provided below.

Effective 1 October 2008, all new High Risk Manufactured Water Systems must be registered with Council within one month of commissioning and positive Legionella counts must be reported to Council within 24 hours.

Before 1 April 2009, all existing high risk manufactured water systems must be registered with Council and automatic biocide dosing devices must be fitted to each cooling water system.

Before 1 October 2009, drift eliminators must be fitted to each cooling water system and plans, manuals and up to date log books for each system must be kept on the premises in an accessible location.

*Note - the inspecting and sampling fees above only apply to Council inspections

Cooling Water System Registration PDF, 386.23 KB

Warm Water Systems Registration PDF, 297.68 KB

Notification of Legionella Detection in Water Sample formPDF, 326.9 KB

Guidelines for the Control of LegionellaPDF, 269.77 KB

Hoarding and severe domestic squalor are complex issues, and can have a severe impact on individuals, family members, friends and the wider community. Procedures to prevent or manage severe domestic squalor are outlined in the SA Health Guideline - A Foot in the Door.

Our Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) work with impacted residents to ensure the health and safety of the community.

How to report a suspected case of hoarding or squalor

• Contact our Environmental Health Officers on (08) 8405 6940 or email the Health Team at service@cityofpae.sa.gov.au
• If you are a member of SAPOL or SAAS you may fill in the editable Severe Domestic Squalor Assessment Scale (PDF, 465.55 KB)     form and email it to us for action.

As of 1 March 2024 there are smoke and vape free laws in place in PAE. This now prevents smoking/vaping within a 10m radius of the entry to Council buildings and commercial buildings, or at underage sporting activities plus at many more locations.

Businesses can visit the SA Health Clear the Air website to view the guide and download signage templates.

Please note that licensed venues are exempt from the laws in outdoor dining spaces, provided they are adhering to the current rules around not serving food in smoking areas.

You can report non compliances through to SA Health on 8226 7100.