Because of safety concerns, the Kendall County Coroner’s Office has decided to pause indefinitely the operation of its outdoor 24-hour medical sharps drop box at 804 W. John St. in Yorkville.

Medical sharps are any objects with sharp edges that can penetrate skin, such as needles, syringes, and scalpels, and require special disposal to prevent injury and disease transmission.

“Unfortunately, many loose needles were being placed inside without safe containers, creating a safety risk for our staff who are responsible for emptying the kiosk,” the Kendall County Coroner’s Office states on its website.

Sharps can still be dropped off from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays inside the Kendall County Coroner’s Office, located at 804 W. John St., Yorkville.

The office offers free sharps containers to any Kendall County resident to help make safe disposal easy and convenient.