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Needle, Sharp or Syringe
It is against WA State law to dispose of needles, syringes or sharps in your trash bin unless they are first placed in approved or heavy plastic containers. Do not place in the curbside recycle bin. Place ALL components into an approved Sharps container, or a heavy plastic container such as a liquid laundry detergent bottle with a screw on lid. Label the container "SYRINGES - DO NOT RECYCLE". When the container is full, drop it off (at no charge) to a Transfer Station's Household Hazardous Waste site or one of the other collection sites.
Each year, 8 million people across the country use more than 3 billion needles, syringes, and lancets—also called sharps—to manage medical conditions at home. People at the greatest risk of being stuck by used sharps include sanitation and sewage treatment workers, janitors, housekeepers, and children.There are safe alternatives for disposing of your used hypodermic needles.
Improper management of discarded needles and other sharps can pose a health risk to the public and waste workers. SafeNeedleDisposal.org offers several types of safe disposal programs. Instead of placing sharps in the trash, self-injectors are encouraged to use any of these alternative disposal methods:
- Mail-Back Programs:Sharps users place their used sharps in special containers and return the container by mail to a collection site for proper disposal. This service usually requires a fee. Fees vary, depending on the size of the container. Check with your health care provider, pharmacist, yellow pages, or search the Internet using keywords "sharps mail back."
- Syringe Exchange Programs (SEP):Sharps users can safely exchange used needles for new needles. Contact the North American Syringe Exchange Network at (253) 272-4857 or online at www.nasen.org
- At-Home Needle Destruction Devices:Several manufacturers offer products that allow you to destroy used needles at home. These devices sever, burn, or melt the needle, rendering it safe for disposal. Check with your pharmacist or search the internet using keywords "sharps disposal devices." The prices of these devices vary according to product type and manufacturer.
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