Sharps
SAFE DISPOSAL OF SHARPS
Home-Generated Sharps, Syringes, and Needles
To be safe and legal, dispose of home-generated sharps, needles, and syringes in this manner:
- Place sharps in an empty, rigid plastic container, such as a laundry detergent bottle.
- Tape the bottle’s cap shut with strong tape. Firmly attach a “Do Not Recycle” label to the bottle. Please see the sample label.
- Dispose of bottle in the trash.
The Universal Recycling Law allows people to reuse rigid plastic bottles to dispose of their home-generated sharps.
Resources:
Safe Needle Disposal in Vermont - VT Department of Health Toolkit & Website: includes a demo video, a toolkit for communities, case studies, and more.
"Safe Needle Disposal: What should I do?" Decision Tree (for residents and health care professionals)
Sample "Do Not Recycle" label to tape to disposal containers. Printing on colored paper makes the label more eye-catching.