Medical equipment discarded at Kuujjuaq landfill
Technicians sent to move material to secure area of dump after post appears on Facebook
Boxes of sterile, unopened medical material appeared to have been thrown out at Kuujjuaq’s dump over the weekend. (Facebook photo)
An anonymous post published on social media showing boxes of unused medical equipment discarded at the Kuujjuaq dump spurred hospital staff to move the equipment to a more secure location this week.
Several commenters on an Aug. 4 post in the Your Voice on Nunavik Facebook group expressed concern about the dangers of children potentially playing with the discarded materials, which appeared to include needles, vials, blood culture kits and COVID-19 test kits.
One commenter said it would be dangerous if children found the waste and used it to “stab each other.”
Others pointed out some of the packages had not reached their expiry date and wondered why they had been thrown out.
Nunatsiaq News asked representatives with Ungava Tulattavik Health Centre what exactly was thrown out, whether it was possible for people to injure themselves with it, and why unexpired supplies were included in the pile.
This medical tape found at the Kuujjuaq dump appears to have an expiry date of May 1, 2026. (Facebook photo)
Health centre administration was informed of the situation on the morning of Aug. 5, said Nathalie Poirier, senior communications adviser with the health centre, in an email to Nunatsiaq News.
“As soon as this information became known, the institution sent a technical service team to safely dispose of the material as of mid-morning,” she said, adding the waste was moved to a secure location within the landfill.
Poirier didn’t provide a list of what medical equipment was discarded but said the boxes contained “sterile material and no biomedical waste that could have put the safety of the population and the environment at risk,” adding Kuujjuaq’s hospital is reviewing its procedures after the incident.
She said most of what was discarded was expired, or in the case of packages that were not yet expired they were materials the hospital doesn’t “use anymore.”
According to a health and social services waste management guide provided by the Government of Quebec, uninfected medical waste can be disposed of in landfills.
Nunatsiaq News reached out to Kuujjuaq’s local landfill to ask whether there are any municipal guidelines for the disposal of medical materials but did not immediately receive a response.
One commenter said it would be dangerous if children found the waste and used it to “stab each other.”
Meanwhile there’s literally unsecured loaded guns in half the houses up here 🙄
Alright so… needles are cool then?
All fired 😂
Well … what a waste Government assets . Also waste of my tax dollar
Gfy
People complain about expired pop in the north.
Can’t have it both ways people.
Quebec has vigourus rules for use and disposal of medical equipment.
So what we do now,? Right now, in kuujjuaq?
What’s the problem here, just the liberal’s SIFs for the junkies, nothing to see here💉🤣
*SIFs are legally sanctioned, medically supervised facilities where intravenous drug users are allowed to inject pre-obtained drugs in a more protected, hygienic and less stressful environment compared with most other private and public settings.
Kuujjuaq continues its slide towards deteriorating and self destruction. The drugs, self medicated existence and failure to handle alcohol has gone to the no return of any more never. The no care culture has taken over, in Inuit and non Inuit alike. Every organization and government office has become a separate independent force of survival of the fittest for all or nothing worthwhile. The work force and services are crippled with laziness and non motivation, suffering citizens into intolerable and deplorable living. The hospital and health care are overloaded with results of nuisance behaviour to the point that so called professional workers are not giving a care as well. Like who cares is the main attitude of once a good morning how are you greeting. Drunks and crack heads are threatening the future of the community, Inuit culture is all but dissolved, and Quebec government don’t care throwing good money after bad. But come wake up time in the not so far future , and kuujjuaq will cost the government unequivocally incredibly for mental health, and Quebec would have by then taking full control of running an otherwise Inuit community, with nothing but , deplorable place to live.
I have to agree with you. Your description of the ´ don’t care ´ Attitutes has been going on for a long time. What dreams can we offer those Young Inuit that see it all on TV, do not have the means to reach their goal ( often surrounded by violence, live in promiscuity, have a high risk of suicide, easy access to drugs and alcool…added to a high rate of staff- médical, school – change). The Goverment pours a lot of money and forgets to follow were it goes…as if they are afraid to hurt their feelings. There are good people up north with good idea for their people, those are the ones that should be listened to. Médical staff should signed for two years so people can be taken care of have a follow up on healthcare…As regards justice, inuits should be responsable for theirs acts and be juged as any other Quebec cityzen facing the law: one justice for all: penalty shouldn’t be less because you are up north. I have seen horrors , poverty , promiscuity ,but I will always remember the smilles of the children, the elders passing the ways of Life to their Grandchildren, our wonderful translators and Martha with whom, I keep in Touch.
Inuit culture , especially kuujjuaq has never been this threatening to future survival as is currently. The influx of newcomers uncensored is alarming. It doesn’t matter the reason for moving here, it’s still in need of strict monitoring. Who is coming in, why they come, and put checks and bounds in place to screen out and bad apples. That includes professionals as well as construction workers and other rejects . And it includes other trouble makers from other Nunavik communities. We need that security and ease the threat on the culture. Yes ! It includes having Inuit take more seriously the education and get rid of denying problems, and embracing qualify leadership . We have poor quality policing as well. Selection must include, having only real quality people , rather than the low grade, poor judgement characters we are seeing in kuujjuaq and throughout Nunavik. Inuit start standing up for righteousness, stop,pretending, and report the drug infestation. Don’t drink, if you turn out to be an idiot as well.