How to dispose of needles and sharps safely

Put every used needle and syringe straight into an FDA-cleared sharps container, or a heavy-duty plastic household container such as a laundry detergent bottle if you can’t get one. When it’s about three-quarters full, seal it and get rid of it following your local community’s rules. Never put loose needles in the trash or recycling, and never flush them. If you’re still getting to know your syringe, the syringe reader shows what each line on the barrel means.

Why it matters

Used needles can injure people and spread infections, most commonly hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Loose sharps in household bins put trash and sewage workers, cleaners, family members and children at risk (FDA).

Step 1: a container, every time

1. Use a sharps container

   FDA-cleared sharps containers are made of puncture-resistant plastic with leak-resistant sides and bottom and a tight-fitting, puncture-resistant lid. Pharmacies, medical supply companies and health care providers stock them.

2. Drop the syringe in straight away

   Don’t recap it, don’t bend or break the needle, and don’t try to pull the needle off the syringe by hand.

3. Keep it out of reach

   Store the container where children and pets can’t get to it.

4. Stop at three-quarters full

   Overfilling raises the risk of a needle-stick. At about three-quarters full, it’s time to dispose of it. Never reuse a sharps container.

If you don’t have an FDA-cleared container

The FDA notes that some community guidelines accept a heavy-duty plastic household container. It should (FDA):

• be made of heavy-duty plastic, such as a laundry detergent bottle;
• close with a tight-fitting, puncture-resistant lid that sharps can’t come out of;
• stay upright and stable while you use it;
• be leak-resistant;
• be labeled to warn that it holds hazardous waste.

Check your local rules before relying on one; some areas only accept certain container types.

Step 2: getting rid of a full container

Options vary by where you live. The FDA lists these (FDA):

To find what’s available near you, search by state or ZIP code at SafeNeedleDisposal.org, or call 1-800-643-1643, the number the FDA gives. You can also ask your local trash service or health department. Before handing it over, seal the container and label it as your community requires.

Planning ahead: how many syringes?

It helps to know how fast you’ll fill a container. Count one syringe for every injection, plus one for every vial you mix. For example (numbers for illustration only): with one injection a week and one vial mixed each month, that’s about 4 + 1 = 5 syringes a month. Mixing syringes are often larger than insulin syringes; a 3 mL mixing syringe takes up more room than a 1 mL (100-unit) one. Size your container for a few months.

Travel

The FDA suggests carrying a small travel-size sharps container whenever you’re away from home. If you’re flying, check the TSA’s current rules on sharps, and make sure your medicines are labeled with the drug and manufacturer’s name or a pharmacy label; a letter from your doctor can help (FDA).

If you can’t get to a container right away

The safest move is always straight into a container. If that’s impossible, the FDA describes a one-handed recapping method: put the cap on a flat surface, slide the needle into it with one hand, then press the capped needle against something firm to seat the cap. Put it in a proper container at the next opportunity (FDA). Never recap a needle someone else has used.

If you’re stuck by a used needle

Wash the area straight away with soap and water, or use a skin antiseptic such as rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer, and get medical attention promptly by calling your doctor or local hospital (FDA).

Common mistakes

• Loose needles in the trash. Never, even wrapped in paper.
• Flushing needles down the toilet.
• Recycling sharps containers. Needles aren’t recyclable, and containers aren’t reusable.
• Overfilling past three-quarters.
• Sharing or reusing needles. Use a new needle and syringe for every injection and never share them. The CDC’s rule is “One Needle, One Syringe, Only One Time” (CDC).

Questions people ask