Safe Needle Disposal

If you see a discarded needle, you can safely pick it up by following these steps:

1. Find a hard, non-breakable container that needles cannot poke through with a screw-on or tight fitting lid (examples, rigid detergent bottle, bleach bottle).
   • Do not use glass containers as they can easily break.
   • Do not use light plastic containers or a milk carton as the needles could poke through.
   • Some pharmacies are part of the Take It Back Ontario Sharps Collection program and may provide a sharps container free-of-charge.
2. Put the container on a stable surface next to the sharp.
   • Do not hold the container in your hand when placing the sharp inside.
   • Do not touch the sharp with your bare hand.
3. Use tongs or pliers to pick up the needle by the plastic end (not the sharp end), with the needle pointing away from your body.
   • Do not try to put the cap back on the needle.
4. Place the needle, sharp end first, into your sharps container.
   • Do not force the needle into the container.
5. Tightly seal the lid (use duct tape if you have it).
6. Label your container as sharps and store it far out of reach of children.
7. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
8. Take your container to a safe needle disposal location.

Safe needle disposal locations

Public Health Sudbury & Districts

City of Greater Sudbury

• Call 3-1-1
• www.greatersudbury.ca/live/garbage-and-recycling/waste-wise/