Where to Get a Sharps Disposal Container

An FDA-cleared sharps container is made of rigid plastic and has a line that shows when it is full, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says. The FDA has reviewed these containers for safety. They come in many sizes, including small travel sizes.

You can also ask two people before you buy one. The FDA says to ask your health insurer if it covers sharps containers. It also says to ask the maker of your medicine if it gives patients a container at no charge.

Some cities, counties and states hand out containers. These are the free offers we found on official pages on October 6, 2026. Each program sets its own rules, so read its page first.

A free drop-off is not the same as a free container. Many county programs also offer an empty container when you bring a full one. To find your county's page, use the sharps disposal finder.

No FDA-cleared container on hand? Some groups and community guides, the FDA says, suggest using a heavy-duty plastic container from home in its place, like an empty laundry detergent bottle. It must:

• be made of heavy-duty plastic
• close with a tight, puncture-resistant lid
• stay upright and steady while you use it
• not leak
• have a label that warns what is inside

State guides disagree on some household containers. Here is what four of them said when we read them on October 6, 2026:

So read your own state's page before you pick a container. For what to do when it is full, see sharps container disposal.

Some containers come with a prepaid box to mail them back. The FDA says mail-back programs usually charge a fee that depends on the container size. See sharps mail-back programs. Pen users can read how to dispose of insulin pens.