Sharps Disposal

Sharps Disposal Near Me

Sharps disposal near me starts with your ZIP code: type it to see the official sharps pages for your county and state.

What are sharps?Anything that can poke skin: needles, syringes, lancets, infusion sets and auto-injectors like insulin or epinephrine pens.
Before you goPut used sharps in a sharps container. If you do not have one, a heavy-duty plastic household container, like a laundry detergent bottle, works too.
Drop it offMost points take sharps from any household, often free. A few take them only from their own patients; each pin says so.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Safely Using Sharps (Needles and Syringes) at Home, at Work and on Travel.

Type a 5 digit ZIP, like 02134. Leading zeros count. Nothing you type is saved. The page fetches one small list of ZIP codes that start with your first two digits. Use my location finds your county on this device; your location is never sent or stored.

Prefer

Drop-off point Group, tap to zoom. Drag to move, pinch or use the zoom buttons. The list below the map shows the nearest points too.

1,324 drop-off points from 5 open government lists (New York, Wisconsin and Iowa).

Where the map data comes from

Pins come only from open government lists we may reuse. A pin means the listed agency says the place takes home sharps, nothing more. Most states publish no reusable list, so there the finder shows official program pages instead of pins.

  • NYC Department of Sanitation, syringe and sharps drop-off sites (201), pulled 2026-10-06.
  • NYC Parks, active syringe disposal kiosks (23), pulled 2026-10-06.
  • New York State Department of Health, hospitals and nursing homes, which state law requires to take home sharps free (783), pulled 2026-10-06.
  • Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, registered sharps collection stations (343), pulled 2026-10-05.
  • Iowa Department of Natural Resources, household sharps takeback sites (66), pulled 2026-10-06.

The five counts add to 1,416, not 1,324: 92 places are on both the NYC sanitation list and the state list of hospitals and nursing homes, and the map shows each of them once.

Street map: OpenStreetMap contributors (Open Database License), from the Protomaps basemap build of October 6, 2026. Fonts: Noto Sans (SIL Open Font License). The street map, fonts and map icons load from tiles.sharpsdisposalnearme.com, this site's own storage, so no map company sees your visit. Use my location finds your county on this device with US Census Bureau county shapes (2017 edition, via the us-atlas project); your location is never sent or stored. ZIP points: US Census Bureau 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas. Directions open your own map app.

Last updated October 18, 2026

Learn

How the finder works

"Sharps" are used needles, syringes, lancets and pen needles. The finder matches your ZIP code to its county. Then it shows the government pages about sharps disposal for that county and state, the state's rule on household trash, and the date we last checked each link. It works as a sharps disposal locator for official pages only.

We link only government pages. That means state health and environment agencies, counties, cities and public waste agencies. We do not copy store lists or private directories. The map shows drop-off points only from open government lists, which today cover New York, Wisconsin and Iowa. Elsewhere, the county and city pages we link keep their own lists of drop-off sites, also called sharps collection sites, and they change them often.

If your county is not listed yet, start with the state pages. You can also call your county health department or your trash hauler, as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests.

What to do when your sharps container is full

The FDA gives two steps. First, put each used needle into a sharps container right after use. Second, when the container is about three quarters full, get rid of it the way your community says.

Each state sets its own rules for home sharps. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says each state program differs a lot from the others. That is why the finder shows your state's rule first. For the full steps, see sharps container disposal.

Where sharps should never go

The FDA lists these don'ts:

  • Don't throw loose needles into the trash.
  • Don't flush needles down the toilet.
  • Don't put needles in a recycling bin. They are not recyclable.

Medicine drop boxes are for medicines. Minnesota's pollution control agency says not to bring household sharps to medicine drop boxes at pharmacies or police stations. A needle disposal box is a different thing. In New York State, the health department says pharmacies, clinics and community groups run syringe drop boxes. Some states ban sharps from the trash even when sealed. The finder tells you if yours does.

If there is no drop-off near you

The FDA says you may be able to mail certain FDA-cleared sharps containers to a collection site, usually for a fee. See sharps mail-back programs. If you need a container first, see where to get a sharps disposal container.

People in New York State have one more option. The state health department says all hospitals and nursing homes there must take home sharps for free. Call first. See sharps disposal in NYC for the city's drop-off counts.

About the drop-off map

The map shows 1,324 drop-off points from five open government lists: the New York City sanitation and parks departments, the New York State health department's list of hospitals and nursing homes, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. A pin means that agency lists the place for home sharps, nothing more. Tap a pin to see what the list says, the hours as listed, and the date we pulled the list. Call before you go.

Most states publish no list of drop-off points that we may reuse, so the map has no pins there. The finder still shows the official pages for your county and state.

The street map is drawn from OpenStreetMap data. It loads from this site's own storage, so no map company sees your visit. "Use my location" finds your county on your device, and your location is not sent or stored. The privacy page explains what the map loads.

Program changes we track

Where the ZIP data comes from

The finder uses the US Census Bureau's 2020 file that matches ZIP code areas to counties. It covers 33,642 ZIP code areas in the 50 states and DC. 10,105 of them cross a county line, so the finder lists every county for those ZIPs, the biggest share of land first.

A ZIP code is a mail route, not a map area. The Census Bureau draws a "ZIP code tabulation area" for most home ZIP codes. Post office box ZIP codes often have none. For those, the finder does not guess: it asks you to pick your state. 137 ZIP code areas cross a state line. For those, the finder asks which state you live in before it shows any rule, because two states can have opposite trash rules. The Census file is public domain, so anyone may reuse it.

State lists

Northeast: official sharps pages by state

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont.

Connecticut

Trash allowed if sealed. Connecticut's environmental agency says to put a tightly sealed container in a paper bag with your household trash, not your recycling.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Maine

Trash allowed if sealed. Maine's environmental agency says Maine law allows sealed, labeled sharps containers in household trash.

State pages

  • Sharps disposal
    Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Link checked Oct 6, 2026.

Massachusetts

Not in the trash. Massachusetts banned sharps from household trash on July 1, 2012. Use a town drop-off site or mail-back.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Sharps and needles disposal program" from Town of Amherst. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

New Hampshire

Trash allowed if sealed. New Hampshire's environmental agency fact sheet says sealed, labeled containers may go with household trash if your disposal site accepts them. Ask first.

State pages

We found no state agency sharps page that opened for our link checker. Use the county and city pages below, or the mail-back page.

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Disposal tips for household generated sharps (SW-31, PDF)" from New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

New Jersey

Ask your county. New Jersey's environmental agency page blocked our check. Union and Cape May counties have their own pages, linked below.

State pages

We found no state agency sharps page that opened for our link checker. Use the county and city pages below, or the mail-back page.

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Safe syringe disposal guide for home generated medical waste" from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

New York

Ask your county. New York State law makes every hospital and nursing home take home sharps for free. Call the facility's sharps coordinator first.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Pennsylvania

Trash allowed if sealed. Pennsylvania's health department says a tightly sealed container in a paper bag can go in household trash.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Rhode Island

Trash allowed if sealed. Rhode Island's waste agency says that if none of its listed options work, a prepared container can go in the middle of a full trash bag. It also takes sharps at its Eco-Depot.

State pages

Vermont

Trash allowed if sealed. Vermont's health department says to write Do Not Recycle on the sealed container and put it in regular trash.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Midwest: official sharps pages by state

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.

Illinois

Trash allowed if sealed. Illinois EPA prefers drop-off sites and mail-back, and treats a sealed container in the trash as the last choice.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Sharps, syringes and needles" from Kane County Recycles. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Not linked yet: "Residential sharps disposal program" from City of Naperville. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Indiana

Ask your county. Indiana's environmental agency says home sharps disposal is not regulated in Indiana. Many waste districts and health departments offer drop-off.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Iowa

Ask your county. Iowa's natural resources agency says never put loose needles in the trash and lists places that accept sharps. Call ahead.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Kansas

Ask your county. The Kansas health and environment page blocked our check, so we cannot confirm its rule. Ask your county or trash hauler.

State pages

We found no state agency sharps page that opened for our link checker. Use the county and city pages below, or the mail-back page.

Not linked yet: "Safe disposal of medical sharps" from Kansas Department of Health and Environment. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Michigan

Ask your county. Michigan's environmental agency keeps a county by county list of sharps collection programs (dated 2023). Its rules page blocked our check.

State pages

Not linked yet: "Medical waste questions" from Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Minnesota

Trash allowed if sealed. Minnesota's pollution control agency calls the trash a poor option, allowed only when a collection site or mail-back is not practical, and only for a labeled, closed and taped container.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Missouri

Trash allowed if sealed. Missouri's natural resources agency says sharps must be packaged and taped shut before they go in household trash.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Nebraska

Trash allowed if sealed. Nebraska's environment agency says household medical waste can go in general household waste, packaged so it does not hurt anyone.

State pages

Not linked yet: "Residential sharps and needles disposal (PDF)" from Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

North Dakota

Trash allowed if sealed. A U.S. EPA leaflet from 1998, with a 2003 update, posted by North Dakota's environmental agency says a container of sharps belongs with regular household trash, not recycling.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Ohio

Trash allowed if sealed. Ohio EPA says home medical waste can go in regular household trash when syringes are packaged to prevent injury.

State pages

County and city programs we found

South Dakota

Trash allowed if sealed. South Dakota's natural resources agency lists the garbage as an acceptable method, in a rigid labeled container.

State pages

Wisconsin

Not in the trash. Wisconsin's natural resources agency says it is illegal to put sharps in the trash or recycling. Use a registered collection station.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Sharps disposal locations" from Brown County. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

South: official sharps pages by state

Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia.

Alabama

Trash allowed if sealed. Alabama's environmental agency guide (2010) says a sealed, labeled container of sharps can go in regular household garbage.

State pages

Arkansas

Trash allowed if sealed. Arkansas's health department flyer (2026) gives steps for putting a closed sharps container in the trash inside two trash bags.

State pages

Delaware

Trash allowed if sealed. Delaware's environmental agency says household sharps in a taped rigid container, double bagged, can go in household trash.

State pages

  • Infectious waste
    Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Link checked Oct 6, 2026.

District of Columbia

Trash allowed if sealed. DC Public Works (2009 guide) says to put a sealed container in your regular trash, never glass or clear plastic.

State pages

Not linked yet: "Proper disposal of needles and sharps" from DC Department of Public Works. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Not linked yet: "Proper disposal of sharps, for residents only" from DC Department of Energy and Environment. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Florida

Ask your county. Florida's health department calls the trash a last resort. Check with your garbage service first. Many county health departments run drop-off programs.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Georgia

Ask your county. A Georgia state guide for home care says a sealed, taped container marked DO NOT RECYCLE can go in regular garbage. We found no rule from Georgia's environmental agency.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Kentucky

Trash allowed if sealed. Kentucky's energy and environment agency says home sharps can legally go in household trash, though drop-off options carry less risk.

State pages

Louisiana

Trash allowed if sealed. Louisiana's environmental agency says state health rules let households put sharps in the ordinary trash only in a standard sharps container or a similar approved one, placed inside a second bag or rigid container so nothing can leak.

State pages

Maryland

Ask your county. We found no Maryland state page for household sharps. Frederick and Montgomery counties have their own pages, linked below.

State pages

We found no state agency sharps page that opened for our link checker. Use the county and city pages below, or the mail-back page.

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Harm reduction and sharps disposal" from Baltimore County Department of Health. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Mississippi

Trash allowed if sealed. Mississippi's environmental agency says home trash is not illegal there, but it runs free drop-off stations, mostly at pharmacies and fire stations.

State pages

  • Household sharps
    Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Link checked Oct 6, 2026.

North Carolina

Ask your county. North Carolina's environmental agency poster says never to throw loose needles in the garbage and to seal them in a hard-wall container with a tight lid. It does not plainly say where the sealed container goes, so ask your county.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Oklahoma

Not in the trash. Oklahoma's environmental agency says state law bans untreated sharps from the trash.

State pages

South Carolina

Trash allowed if sealed. South Carolina's environmental agency says to put its free warning sticker on a bleach or detergent bottle, cap it, and put it in household trash.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Tennessee

Trash allowed if sealed. Tennessee's environment department says sharps in a sturdy plastic container with a screw-on lid can go in regular garbage.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Texas

Trash allowed if sealed. Texas's environmental agency says a sealed, taped container can go in household trash. Never loose needles.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Virginia

Ask your county. Virginia's environmental agency page blocked our check. Fairfax County and the Roanoke health district have pages, linked below.

State pages

We found no state agency sharps page that opened for our link checker. Use the county and city pages below, or the mail-back page.

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Regulated medical waste" from Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

West Virginia

Ask your county. West Virginia's environmental health office says home medical waste is exempt from state rules, but sharps must go in a puncture-resistant container.

State pages

West: official sharps pages by state

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Alaska

Ask your county. Alaska's state page blocked our check. Anchorage says to take sharps containers to an approved drop-off site, so check your city or borough.

State pages

We found no state agency sharps page that opened for our link checker. Use the county and city pages below, or the mail-back page.

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "How do I dispose of medical waste" from Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Arizona

Ask your county. A sheet from Arizona's environmental agency, posted by the state health department, urges people not to put needles in the garbage and lists drop-off and mail-back options instead.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Personal-use sharps disposal options (PDF)" from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

California

Not in the trash. California law bans sharps from the regular trash, as San Diego County explains. CalRecycle says the state's industry-run program must offer disposal at no cost.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Sharps disposal" from Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste Program. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Colorado

Ask your county. Colorado's state page blocked our check. Boulder County and Denver run free drop-off options, linked below.

State pages

We found no state agency sharps page that opened for our link checker. Use the county and city pages below, or the mail-back page.

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Medication and sharps take back" from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Hawaii

Trash allowed if sealed. Hawaii's health department guide says a sealed container marked BIOHAZARD can go in the household trash, never the recycling.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Idaho

Ask your county. We found no statewide page for households. In North Central Idaho, the public health district says sealed containers can go in regular trash.

State pages

We found no state agency sharps page that opened for our link checker. Use the county and city pages below, or the mail-back page.

County and city programs we found

Montana

Trash allowed if sealed. Montana's environmental agency says that if no other option is available in your area, a secured container may go in regular garbage, and suggests telling your garbage hauler first.

State pages

Not linked yet: "Sharps program" from Flathead County Health Department. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Nevada

Ask your county. Nevada's environmental agency lists waste options county by county. Rules differ, so check your county's entry.

State pages

County and city programs we found

New Mexico

Trash allowed if sealed. New Mexico's environment department says that if your community has no needle collection site, sealed containers may go in regular trash.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Oregon

Not in the trash. The Oregon Health Authority says sharps should never go in your regular garbage.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Utah

Trash allowed if sealed. Utah's health department says that if you cannot reach a syringe services program, a securely packaged and labeled container can go in the trash.

State pages

County and city programs we found

  • Waste disposal
    Davis County Health Department. Link checked Oct 6, 2026.

Washington

Ask your county. Washington's health department says syringe disposal laws vary by city and county. Check your county's page before using the trash.

State pages

County and city programs we found

Wyoming

Ask your county. Wyoming's health department guide blocked our check. Park County asks people not to put sharps in regular trash and takes them at the Cody landfill.

State pages

We found no state agency sharps page that opened for our link checker. Use the county and city pages below, or the mail-back page.

County and city programs we found

Not linked yet: "Medication and sharps disposal (PDF)" from Wyoming Department of Health. That site blocked our automated link check on Oct 6, 2026, so we could not confirm it.

Questions

Where can I dispose of needles near me?

The FDA says drop-off sites can include doctors' offices, hospitals, pharmacies, health departments, medical waste sites, and police or fire stations. Some cities and counties also take sharps at household hazardous waste sites. Type your ZIP code above to see the official pages for your county and state. Rules for unused syringes differ: Boston's public health commission says its drop-off sites take used or unused sharps, so ask your site first. Call a site before you go.

Does CVS take used sharps?

We could not check this. CVS's website blocked our page reader from two networks on October 6, 2026, so we do not know what CVS's own pages say. Some cities require pharmacies to help. Boston's public health commission lists pharmacy drop-off sites under the city's pharmacy syringe ordinance. Medicine drop boxes are for medicines. Call the store before you go.

Does Walgreens take used needles?

When we read it on October 6, 2026, Walgreens's safe medication disposal page listed kiosks, mail-back envelopes and packets for medicines. It does not mention needles or sharps. See Walgreens sharps disposal locations for what we found and what government pages say about pharmacies.

Do hospitals take sharps containers?

It depends on the state. In New York State, the health department says all hospitals and nursing homes must take home sharps for free. In Minnesota, the pollution control agency says most health care facilities do not take household sharps. Elsewhere, the FDA lists hospitals as one possible drop-off site. Call the hospital first.

Sources

8 sources with read dates
  1. Best way to get rid of used needles and other sharps, US Food and Drug Administration, content current as of August 10, 2023, read 2026-10-06
  2. DOs and DON'Ts of proper sharps disposal, US Food and Drug Administration, content current as of April 28, 2021, read 2026-10-06
  3. Medical waste, US Environmental Protection Agency, read 2026-10-06
  4. 2020 ZCTA to County Relationship File (tab20_zcta520_county20_natl.txt), US Census Bureau, downloaded 2026-10-06 from the Census Bureau's www2.census.gov file server (named, not linked: it is a data file with no sharps text)
  5. New York State Safe Sharps Collection Program, New York State Department of Health, read 2026-10-06
  6. Managing household needles and syringes (PDF), Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, November 2024, read 2026-10-06
  7. Medication and syringe disposal, Boston Public Health Commission, last updated July 10, 2026, read 2026-10-06
  8. Safe Medication Disposal, Walgreens (the company's own web page, named but not linked because this site links only government pages), read 2026-10-06