USED NEEDLE PICKUP & DISPOSAL
Used needles must be placed in a puncture resistant, labeled, sharps container and disposed of by a licensed medical waste company.
Many times improperly disposed of used needles, and medical waste are disposed of in dumpsters, trash bins or along the road. This places children, pets, workers and others in the community at risk for contracting a potentially deadly illness.
FOR PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS seeking disposal options, some pharmacies and physician offices are helpful with used needle disposal. Select pharmacies sell mail-in kits for disposal of used needles, and some doctor's offices offer discounted needle disposal.
In some cities, needle exchange programs are available.
ILLEGAL DRUG USE
Illegal drug use, in some cases, results in large amounts of used needles being left in apartments, homes, abandoned structures, motel rooms, and on roadways and grassy areas. This can be extremely dangerous for children, pets, and individuals. In these cases, specialized bio-hazard companies should be contacted to package used sharps, needles, and medical waste, and insure disposal by a licensed medical waste company. Companies packaging and disposing of sharps and medical waste should be: 1) Trained in the use of personal protective equipment, universal precautions and hazardous materials; 2) fully insured; and 3) have commercial vehicles which meet State, local and Federal regulations.