Syringe Disposal Home Use
Discarding
used needles and syringes at home Medical Waste Management
Regulations prohibit medical facilities from accepting medical waste
including used syringes generated outside their facilities.
Current Recommendations for Home Generated Medical Waste
Container:
▪ The best
containers are Sharps containers and can be purchased at
some local
pharmacies for $2.00 – $6.00 OR
▪ A puncture proof,
closed, non-breakable, labeled container with a
threaded (screw-on
lid) may be substituted.
Separate From Other
Trash:
▪ Keep your sharps
container on top of your other household trash
and garbage and
clearly visible.
Notify Your Waste
Handler:
▪ Whether you have
home garbage pick-up service or you take your
garbage to the dump,
let the garbage man know that you have a
container with used needles
and syringes by clearly labeling the
container. This allows the
garbage handler to separate the container
from other trash and to
protect themselves from accidental injury.
Check with your local pharmacy for sharps containers.
San Benito County Health & Human Services Agency
Public Health Department
439 Fourth Street
Hollister, CA 95023
(831) 637-5367
Fax: (831) 637-9073
© 2007 San Benito County Health & Human Services Agency Public Health Division, All Rights Reserved