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
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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
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