Home Health Care Waste Disposal

Disposal Locations

Contact your local hospitals or doctors to see if they will accept sharps that have been secured in a proper container. Some pharmacies also sell specially designed containers for use by homeowners in securing health care wastes for disposal in household trash receptacles. If your community is served by a regional household hazardous waste (HHW) collection facility, check to see if you can dispose of sharps there. Chester County residents can call (610) 273-3771 for the local HHW collection facility.  For additional information regarding medication and sharps disposal, click Medication and Sharps Disposal
 

Do's & Don'ts of Home Health Care Waste Disposal

Use the following tips as a guide when disposing of home health care wastes.

Do:

  • Keep waste containers away from children and animals
  • Label plastic jugs or metal cans with "do not recycle"
  • Place sharps in an opaque, puncture-resistant container with a lid
  • Seal container lids with heavy-duty tape
  • Seal trash bags with tape or wire / plastic ties

Don't:

  • Clip needles with a pair of scissors
  • Label containers as medical waste
  • Place loose sharps in the trash or toilet
  • Place sealed containers in with recyclables
  • Recycle any sharps