How to Dispose of Used Needles

Medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Last Updated: November 1, 2019 References

Millions of people use needles at home to self-inject medications for a variety of healthcare reasons. While this practice is very common, surprisingly few people are given clear instructions on how to dispose of the needles once they’re used. To properly dispose of your used needles at home, you can use an FDA-approved sharps disposal container or another sturdy plastic container, such as a laundry detergent or bleach bottle, and follow your community’s disposal guidelines.^{[1]
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Research source} If you don’t have a sharps container, destroy the needles using a clipper, grinder, or melting device.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using an FDA-Approved Sharps Disposal Container

1
Obtain an FDA-approved sharps disposal container. Before using a needle outside of a healthcare facility, purchase an FDA-approved personal use a sharps disposal container online, at your local pharmacy, or from a medical supply establishment.^{[2]
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Research source} In some cases, your doctor may supply you with a sharps disposal container along with the needles needed to self-administer your medication.
- In some places, you aren't legally required to use an approved sharps disposal container. In those cases, you can legally use a sturdy plastic container with a screw-on lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle.^{[3]
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  Research source} However, this is generally not recommended because of the injury and health risks it poses to garbage haulers and facility workers.^{[4]
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- FDA-approved sharps disposal containers generally cost less than $10 USD.
2
Place the sharps container nearby. When you’re using a needle to administer medication, make sure that you place the sharps disposal container next to you or very close by. This will reduce the risk of injuring yourself or someone else by walking around with the exposed used needle, and will eliminate the need for you to set the needle down or store it anywhere else.
- Needles are generally very thin and small and, therefore, can easily be lost. Positioning the sharps disposal container next to you will make it easier for you to dispose of the needle properly and minimize the risks to yourself and others.^{[5]
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  US Food and Drug Administration
  U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
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3
Place the needle in the container immediately after use. First, open the top of the sharps disposal container so the disposal chute is exposed. Then, immediately after using the needle according to your doctor’s instructions, place the needle carefully in the disposal chute with the sharp end facing down. Once the needle is fully inside the container, close the lid.^{[6]
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Trustworthy Source
US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
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- Make sure that the lid is closed properly and securely before moving the container.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Disposing of Needles in Alternative Ways

1
Use a sturdy plastic jug if an FDA-approved container is unavailable. If you don’t have an FDA-approved sharps disposal container, you can still throw away your used needles in another sturdy plastic container, such as a bleach or laundry detergent bottle. Make sure the container has a tight-fitting, puncture-resistant lid and can stand upright when in use. The container itself should be leak-proof and puncture-resistant as well.^{[7]
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- Once the container is about 3/4 full, dispose of it according to your community guidelines as you would with an official FDA-approved container.
2
Cut the needle off the syringe with needle clippers to cut down on waste. Place the needle portion of a small syringe, such as an insulin syringe, inside the clipper. Then, press down on the clippers to cut the needle off. You can then throw the rest of the syringe away in the trash.^{[8]
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Research source} The needle will be stored within the clipper until you dispose of it in a sharps container.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source
US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
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- The syringe is the part that holds the medication, while the needle is the pointy end used to pierce your skin or veins.
- While syringes can legally and safely be disposed of in the trash, they cannot be placed in the recycling even if the materials are recyclable.^{[10]
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- While you’ll still need a sharps disposal container after using needle cutters, they will cut down on the amount of waste you put into the container. As a result, you’ll be able to use the container for longer and reduce the number of containers you’ll need to dispose of and purchase each year.
Tip: The safest way to dispose of used needles is to place them in a sharps disposal container immediately. However, if you don’t have access to a sharps container, you can clip or recap the needles until you’re able to get an appropriate container.
3
Grind the needle in an at-home needle grinder if you don't have a sharps container. Needle grinding devices enable you to destroy your used needles at home by grinding up the needle until it no longer poses a health and safety risk. Once the needle is destroyed, you can dispose of the remaining syringe and needle particles in the trash.^{[11]
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Research source}
- The way in which you operate a needle grinder varies depending on the type of grinder you purchase. Therefore, make sure that you read the instructions carefully before using the grinder.
- Ground needles can be disposed of in the trash, but they cannot be placed in the recycling bin.^{[12]
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- At-home needle grinders typically cost over $100 USD.
4
Melt the needle metal in a personal needle-melting device as an alternative. While expensive to purchase, needle melting devices are effective at safely melting used needles to reduce health and safety risks. Once the needle is placed in the device and melted, it can safely be thrown away in the trash along with the remaining syringe.^{[13]
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- The instructions for using a needle melting device vary, so make sure that you follow the instructions for your specific device.
- Melted needle metal can be thrown away in the trash. It cannot be recycled.^{[14]
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- Personal needle melting devices generally cost about $200 USD.
5
Get a travel disposal container to safely discard needles on the go. If you’re traveling and know that you’ll need to use a needle to administer your medication on the go, purchase a travel-sized sharps disposal container before you leave. Travel disposal containers are widely available online and at several drug stores, making it easy for you to get a disposal container before you travel.^{[15]
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Trustworthy Source
U.S. Transportation Security Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for ensuring safety by setting and enforcing travel protocols
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Getting Rid of Sharps Containers Safely

1
Store your sharps disposal container in a safe place. While using a sharps disposal container reduces the risks associated with used needles, it does not eliminate the risks entirely. To further protect yourself and others, store your sharps disposal container in a safe place that is out of reach for children and pets.^{[16]
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2
Get rid of your sharps disposal container when it’s 3/4 full. Overfilling a sharps disposal container increases the risk that you or someone else could get injured. Therefore, make sure that you are diligent about disposing of the sharps disposal container before it gets completely full.^{[17]
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Trustworthy Source
US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
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- While many sharps disposal containers have a clear bucket and red top, some have a red body and clear top. Therefore, it can be somewhat difficult to assess how full the container is. As a general rule of thumb, if you aren’t sure how full your sharps disposal container is, it’s best to dispose of it to be on the safe side.
3
Check online to see your community’s disposal regulations. While most communities have a safe sharps disposal container waste system in place, the way in which sharps disposal containers are collected varies from one place to another. To find out how to get rid of your sharps disposal container in your area, visit https://safeneedledisposal.org and enter your zip code.
4
Dispose of your sharps container in your community’s dropbox if it has one. Many communities offer sharps disposal container community drop boxes or collection sites located at doctor’s offices, hospitals, pharmacies, health departments, medical waste facilities, police stations, or fire stations.^{[18]
X
Trustworthy Source
US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
Go to source} If your community offers this as an option, you can drive to the dropbox or collection site and dispose of your container as directed.
5
Mail your sharps disposal container to a collection site as an alternative. If you have an FDA-approved sharps disposal container, you may be able to mail the container to a collection site. Be aware, however, that there is generally a fee associated with mailing your container in to the collection site.^{[19]
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Trustworthy Source
US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
Go to source}
- To see if this is an option in your area, visit https://safeneedledisposal.org.
6
Arrange home pick-up if your community offers this service. Some communities offer sharps disposal container home pick-up, which usually requires an additional fee. In addition, home pick-up usually requires that you use a special container to ensure the safety of the waste handlers.^{[20]
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Trustworthy Source
US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
Go to source}
- To see if this is an option in your area, visit https://safeneedledisposal.org.

Warnings

Never throw loose needles or other sharps away in a trash can or recycling bin, and never flush them down the toilet.

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Don’t recap a used needle unless absolutely necessary, since the risk of accidentally sticking yourself is high. If you must recap a needle before you can dispose of it, use only one hand or a mechanical recapping device. Take care not to bend or break the needle, and throw it away in a sharps disposal container as soon as possible.

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Do not attempt to remove a needle from the syringe by hand, since this can put you at risk of puncturing or cutting yourself.

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Never reuse a sharps disposal container, as this can pose a health risk to both you and others.^{[21]
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Always use caution when handling needles to avoid sticking yourself or others.

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