Small sharps containers. How to dispose?

I have small sharps containers for diabetic needles. How do I dispose of these containers?  Thanks. 


I have the same question - for expired epipens!


My info is several years old but I took them to Morristown Memorial.  I’ll be honest the folks there looked like no one had ever dropped off sharps before.  I found them using this website which also explains how you can dispose of them in your own garbage, but I had too many to want to snip each needle.

https://nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/phss/syringe.pdf

Frankly I’d ask the doctor who prescribed the treatment if they would take them or if they had a suggestion.


from Robert Roe, Maplewood Health Dept.    Put them into a hard plastic container with a screw on lid, like a detergent bottle or bleach bottle.   This can then be put into the household garbage.  This is only for home use; not for businesses or doctors offices.   Do not use the red containers as the garbage men will not take this.

If the plastic bottle has its lid screwed on tight, it will be safe for the garbage man.  The garbage in Essex County is incinerated, so there is no environmental hazard from loose needles.  


According to the link you are supposed to clip all of the needles before you put them in the container.  


if all else fails, last I was in the food court bathroom at Menlo Mall, they had a sharps container...if you happen to be going there.  When I needed needles for my cat, I brought them back to the vet for disposal.


RobertRoe said:

from Robert Roe, Maplewood Health Dept.    Put them into a hard plastic container with a screw on lid, like a detergent bottle or bleach bottle.   This can then be put into the household garbage.  This is only for home use; not for businesses or doctors offices.   Do not use the red containers as the garbage men will not take this.

If the plastic bottle has its lid screwed on tight, it will be safe for the garbage man.  The garbage in Essex County is incinerated, so there is no environmental hazard from loose needles.  

 How do we deal with this situation:

We had to clean out a relative's house (retired physician, long deceased).  His in-house clinic had been defunct for 10-15 years, but never emptied out.  There were multiple of the red containers (both tiny cubes, and larger 'bottles') sitting around.  


RobertRoe said:

from Robert Roe, Maplewood Health Dept.    Put them into a hard plastic container with a screw on lid, like a detergent bottle or bleach bottle.   This can then be put into the household garbage.  This is only for home use; not for businesses or doctors offices.   Do not use the red containers as the garbage men will not take this.

If the plastic bottle has its lid screwed on tight, it will be safe for the garbage man.  The garbage in Essex County is incinerated, so there is no environmental hazard from loose needles.  

 If this is the case, then I would think that epipens inside their plastic tubes should be fine in the regular garbage ... no?


from Robert Roe:   If the epipen is secure in its tubes, then it should be fine.   

Clipping the needles is an extra safety step, so I do not want to discourage it.   But, in Essex County we have a garbage waste- to- energy incinerator that works at a very high temperature.  So any metal is melted, (steel metal is captured from the ash for recycling),  Any germs are destroyed.   Most counties have landfills for the garbage, so clipping needle sharps is a good practice to prevent any accident.  


Bob:  Thanks for the input to this thread and for your many years of service to Maplewood.  Enjoy your retirement.



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