Why is safe disposal important?

Each year many people are seriously injured from contact with discarded needles in household waste. Proper storage and disposal of needles or sharps will protect members of your household, healthcare professionals and the general public from accidental injury, as well as prevent environmental pollution.

Why can’t I just put used needles in the bin?

Needles and similar medical supplies, such as syringes and lancets, are called sharps. They are classed as clinical waste, which means that special arrangements apply to their disposal.

Needles can cause injury to you or other people because they are sharp, and once they’ve been used, they can also carry fluids from your body, such as blood. A used needle which is contaminated like this can pass an infection on to other people.

If you use needles or sharps, it is your responsibility to dispose of them safely. You should use a special rigid box with a lid designed for used needles and similar medical supplies that may carry infections. These boxes are called sharps bins, sharps disposal boxes or sharps containers.

How do I get a sharps bin?

Sharps bins are available on prescription from your GP or you can buy them from a pharmacy.

What can I put in the sharps bin?

• Needles – follow the instructions in the product leaflet.
• Clippers – a clipper is sometimes used to snap off a needle. The needle stays inside the clipper.
• Syringes – dispose of needles and syringes as a single unit. Don’t dismantle them before putting them in the sharps bin.
• Finished pen devices, either empty or no longer needed.
• Lancets – finger-pricking devices.
• Used blood glucose testing strips.

How do I make sure I safely dispose of them?

• The sharps bin must be correctly assembled, labelled and the lid must be secure.
• Bins must be placed out of reach of children and pets.
• The lid of the sharps bin must not be removed once the bin contains sharps.
• Bins that contain sharps must be securely placed on work surfaces – no part of the bin should overhang the surface on which it stands and it should not be possible for it to be easily or inadvertently knocked over.
• Sharps bins must not be filled above the ‘fill line’.
• When bins are full, they must be sealed and labelled.
• Full bins must be securely stored while awaiting collection.

• Do not recycle or reuse (needles and lancets are single use only).
• Do not dismantle syringes before putting them in the sharps bin
• Do not put needles or sharps in any other containers for example drinks cans or bottles. Only use a proper sharps bin
• Do not put used needles in your household waste bin or any other refuse bin not intended for such items
• Do not fill the sharps bin more than 3/4 full or to the "Do not fill above this line" marker
• Do not force sharps into a full bin by pushing down with your hands
• Do not try to recap a needle. Used needles must not be bent or broken before disposal.

How do I dispose of a full sharps bin?

Arrangements for disposing of full sharps bins vary depending where you live.

• Ask your community pharmacy if they provide a sharps bin service.
• Local councils may dispose of sharps bins. Contact your local council.
• Do not put filled or partially filled sharps bins into domestic waste.

Contact your council

• Ashford Borough Council
  www.ashford.gov.uk/contact-us
  01233 331111
• Canterbury City Council
  www.canterbury.gov.uk/contact-us
  01227 862 202
• Dartford Borough Council
  www.dartford.gov.uk
  01322 343434
• Dover District Council
  www.dover.gov.uk/Contact-us.aspx
  01304 821199
• Folkestone and Hythe District Council
  www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/contact-us
  01303 853000
• Gravesham Borough Council
  www.gravesham.gov.uk/home/footer/contact-us
  01474 337000
• Maidstone Borough Council
  maidstone.gov.uk/home/primary-services/find-and-contact-us
  01622 602600
• Sevenoaks District Council
  www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/contact
  01732 227000
• Swale District Council
  swale.gov.uk/news-and-your-council/contact-us
  01795 417888
• Thanet District Council
  www.thanet.gov.uk
  01843 577000
• Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
  www.tmbc.gov.uk/contact-us
  01732 844522
• Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
  tunbridgewells.gov.uk/find-and-contact-us
  01892 526121