How to Dispose of Needles at Home

A container right after each use

FDA says to place used needles and other sharps in a sharps disposal container immediately after use¹. Loose sharps can cause needle sticks, cuts and punctures¹. Keep the container out of reach of children and pets, and do not reuse it¹.

An FDA-cleared container is rigid plastic with a fill line that shows when it counts as full². These containers come in several sizes, including travel sizes².

No FDA-cleared container?

Some organizations and community guidelines suggest a heavy-duty plastic household container instead, such as a laundry detergent bottle, FDA says². Whatever you use, FDA says it should²:

• be made of heavy-duty plastic
• close with a tight-fitting lid that sharps cannot poke through
• stay upright and steady while you use it
• hold liquid without leaking
• carry a label that warns of hazardous waste inside

Ask your pharmacist, health care provider, veterinarian or local hospital where to find an FDA-cleared container³. FDA also says to ask your insurer whether it covers containers, and to ask the maker of your medicine whether it gives one at no charge³.

When the container is three-quarters full

Rules differ by place, so check with your local trash service or health department¹. FDA lists four kinds of programs you may find¹:

• Drop boxes or supervised collection sites, such as doctors' offices, hospitals, pharmacies, health departments, medical waste facilities, and police or fire stations
• Household hazardous waste collection sites, the kind that also take paint and motor oil
• Mail-back programs for certain FDA-cleared containers, usually for a fee
• Residential special waste pick-up, often for a fee and with its own container rules

Some programs are free. Seal the container and label it the way your program asks³. For the rules in your state, FDA lists a phone line: 1-800-643-1643¹.

What not to do

FDA lists these don'ts^3,4:

• Loose needles and syringes never go in the trash.
• Keep sharps out of the toilet.
• Recycling bins are off limits, since sharps are not recyclable.
• Leave another person's used needle alone: do not remove, bend, break or recap it.
• Do not try to take a needle off a syringe without a needle clipper.

For a pen needle, follow the Instructions for Use that came with your pen.

If someone is stuck by a used needle

FDA says to wash the area right away with soap and water, or use a skin disinfectant such as rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer⁴. Get medical care right away by calling your physician or local hospital⁴.

Traveling with sharps

FDA says to carry a small, travel-size sharps container when you leave home¹. TSA allows used syringes in a sharps container or a similar hard-surface container⁵. More in traveling with injectable medication.

Log your shots

Your log can show each shot, its site and its vial, next to an injection site rotation log. Open the tracker (free, no account), or read about the peptide tracker first. Entries stay in your browser.