You must dispose of used, old, or expired sharps and syringes safely.
Never dispose of loose needles and other medical “sharps” in trash cans or recycling bins and never flush them down the toilet.
Follow these steps, to safely dispose of your used syringes and sharps:
Choose a sturdy container, like a laundry detergent with a screw-on cap or place in an FDA-approved disposal container, available through pharmacies, medical supply companies, health care providers and online.
2. Secure the container with a screw-on cap. The container should be sturdy to prevent breaking in transit.
When the container is ¾ full, seal it tightly with its original lid and wrap duct tape over the lid.
3. Label the Container
Add a large warning label to the container such as “Syringes – Do not Recycle.”
4. Dispose of the Container Safely:
Take the sealed container to a local safe needle disposal site, if available. Otherwise, dispose of it in your household garbage. Do not recycle.
Expired, Unused, or Used EpiPen or EpiPen Jr. Auto-Injectors
Check if your prescriber accepts EpiPens for proper disposal. If not, find a sharps take-back site that will accept them. Some sites only accept used EpiPens.
If no take-back site is available, dispose of both used and unused EpiPens by following the sharps disposal instructions above. Do not attempt to clip the needle or remove the medication from unused EpiPens, as this can be hazardous.