Best Way to Get Rid of Used Needles and Other Sharps

Disposal of Sharps by Health Care Facilities

The information on this page is meant to be used by shoppers, as well as patients, members of the family, and residential health caregivers to handle disposal of used needles and different sharps used at reception, at work, and once traveling. This page isn't for health care facilities.

For data on sharps disposal at health care facilities or disposal of regulated medical waste by health care personnel outside of aid facilities, see Sharps Disposal Containers in Health Care Facilities.

The Food and Drug Administration recommends a ballroom dance method for correctly removing used needles and alternative sharps.

Step 1: Place all needles and different sharps in a very sharp disposal instrumentation like a shot once they have been used.

This will scale back the chance of needle sticks, cuts, and punctures from loose sharps. Sharps disposal containers ought to be unbroken out of reach of kids and pets.

Sharps dispoal container

Note: Overfilling a sharps disposal instrumentality will increase the danger of accidental needle-stick injury. once your sharps disposal instrumentality is regarding three-quarters (3/4) full, follow your community tips for obtaining obviate the instrumentality (Step two, below).

DO NOT reuse sharps disposal containers.

Be ready once going home. continually carry atiny low, travel-size sharps disposal instrumentation just in case different choices aren't offered.

Travel-size sharps disposal container

If traveling by plane, check the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) web site for up-to-date rules on what to try to to together with your sharps. to create your trip through landing field security easier, certify your medicines ar labeled with the kind of drugs and also the manufacturer's name or a drug store label, and produce a letter from your doctor.

Step 2: Dispose of used sharps disposal containers consistent with your community tips.

Sharps disposal tips and programs vary betting on wherever you reside. discuss with your native trash removal services or health department (listed within the town or county government (blue) pages in your phone book) to check that of the subsequent disposal strategies square measure on the market in your space:

Drop Box or Supervised Collection Sites

You may be able to drop off your sharps disposal containers at acceptable chosen assortment sites, like doctors' offices, hospitals, pharmacies, health departments, medical waste facilities, and police or fire stations. Services are also free or have a nominal fee.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Sites

You may be able to drop off your sharps disposal containers at native public unit venturous waste assortment sites. These are sites that additionally ordinarily settle for venturous materials like unit cleaners, paints and gas.

Mail-Back Programs

You may be ready to mail sure FDA-cleared sharps disposal containers to a group website for correct disposal, sometimes for a fee. Fees vary, counting on the dimensions of the instrumentation. Following the instrumentation manufacturer's directions as a result of mail-back programs could have specific necessities on the way to label sharps disposal containers.

Residential Special Waste Pick-Up Services

Your community might give special waste pick-up services that send trained special waste handlers to gather sharps disposal containers from your home. These services are usually fee-based and have special necessities for the kinds of containers they're going to collect. Some programs need customers to decide and request pick-ups, whereas others provide regular pick-up schedules.

For more information specific to your state, call Safe Needle Disposal at 1-800-643-1643 or e-mail info@safeneedledisposal.org. Information they can provide for your state includes: