Safe Disposal of Medical Sharps

Guidelines for the Safe Disposal of Medical Sharps

The improper disposal of medical sharps may present serious safety and public health risks, especially to solid waste and recycling workers. Any person who is accidentally stuck should undergo medical testing due to concerns about exposure to harmful or deadly diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. Under Kansas law, if you use medical sharps such as needles, syringes, and lancets at home or in certain other settings, you may dispose of such items with other trash but only in accordance with the precautions provided on this page.

These disposal guidelines apply to medical sharps generated at the following types of community locations (not sharps generated by regulated health care providers):

  • Churches
  • Households
  • Offices
  • Schools
  • Small businesses
  1. General Guidelines
  2. Alternative Disposal Options
  3. For More Information

Don't Get Stuck With Sharps: General Guidelines

  • Do not throw loose needles in the trash
  • Do not flush any medical sharps down the toilet
  • Do not mix any medical sharps with recyclable material

Facts & Details

In Kansas, it is currently legal to place sharps in a sealed puncture resistant bottle that is disposed of in household trash or municipal solid waste generated at any location that is not a regulated health care provider. Special rigid sharps containers can be purchased from pharmacies and other medical supply companies that are suitable for disposal with other trash.

Prior to placing any sharps container in the trash, write "DO NOT RECYCLE - SHARPS" on the container.

Good Examples of Sharps ContainersExamples of containers that may be used for medical sharps:

  • Bleach
  • Laundry soap
  • Liquid soap
  • Metal container with screw on lid
  • Special purchased sharps container

Bad Examples of Sharps ContainersExamples of containers that should not be used:

  • 2-liter beverage container
  • Aluminum cans
  • Coffee cans with snap on lids
  • Glass jars
  • Plastic bags
  • Plastic milk jugs

No Sharps in RecyclingNever Mix with Recyclables

Medical sharps should never be mixed with recyclable materials, including source-separated material and single stream material!!

  • Always use a heavy duty tape (ex. duct tape) to secure lids to the containers
  • Do not overstuff containers with sharps! Fill to approximately 2/3 full
  • Sharps disposal devices such as needle cutting and incineration devices are available
    • A needle cutter automatically stores the cut needles and is useful when a disposal container is not available
    • A needle incinerator for non-medical facility use destroys needles by high heat and reduces them to BB-size balls