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How to dispose of needle bins
When using injectable treatments, it’s important that you safely discard them in a sharps bin. Not doing so increases the risk of infection and injury.
Learn how to safely discard needles and what to do with a full sharps bin.
Medically reviewed by
Alexandra Cristina Cowell, Writer & Clinical Content Reviewer
Summary:
- Always put used needles, syringes, and other sharp medical items in a yellow sharps bin to prevent injuries.
- Stop using the bin when it’s about three-quarters full and lock it securely so nothing can spill out.
- Treated provides a free sharps bin with certain injectable treatments and will send a new one if you run out.
- Return full bins to a pharmacy, GP, or local council collection point.
Why is it important to use a sharps bin?
When using injectable treatments, you should dispose of them correctly in a sharps bin. These bins are specially designed to help you discard sharp medical objects, like needles, syringes, and scalpels safely.
The bins are made from a thick plastic material that sharp items can’t easily pierce. It has a secure lid to ensure that nothing spills out once placed inside. The bins are typically bright yellow with a biohazard symbol to alert others that they contain hazardous material.
It’s important to dispose of needles properly to lower the risk of infections and injury. Each used injection carries the risk of blood-borne infections, such as HIV and Hepatitis C, as well as bacterial and fungal infections.
What should be put in a sharps bin?
Anything sharp can go into a sharps bin, including:
- Needles
- Syringes
- Lancets
- Scalpels
- Broken glass from medical vials
- Tattoo and piercing needles
When using weight loss or diabetes injections, don’t throw away the entire pen; only the needle tip. Carefully remove the needle tip, taking care you don’t accidentally pierce yourself. Read the patient leaflet for more details on how to properly discard the needle tip. You should only dispose of the entire pen in a sharps bin when it’s empty.
How do you use a sharps bin?
To use a sharps bin:
- Move the sliding cover back to open it.
- Drop the sharp object in.
- Slide the cover back on to close it when you’re not using it.
- When the bin is full, slide the cover until you hear a click. This will lock the lid securely.
You should write the following information on the label outside the container:
- Your name
- The name of your health clinic
- The date you locked the bin
After the bin is full and locked, dispose of it safely. Make sure there’s no blood or liquid outside the bin and it’s clean.
When does Treated send a sharps bin?
Treated will send you a free sharp bin when you buy the following treatments:
- Saxenda
- Mounjaro
- Nevolat
How long should the needle bin Treated send last?
We send a yellow SharpsGuard 1 litre sharps bin, which should last a little under a year for weekly injections. But if you finish one sooner, don’t worry. Just message us and we’ll send a new one with your next order.
When to know when a sharps bin is full?
When the bin is three-quarters full, stop using it to ensure nothing spills out. At this point, you should lock it securely and dispose of it. Overfilling the bin increases your risk of injury as the sharp items can potentially poke through the opening.
How to request a new sharps bin from Treated
When your sharps bin is full, please message your clinician to request a new one. We’ll send a replacement free of charge, and it should arrive by the next working day. It’s best to request a new bin before your current one is completely full, in case delivery is delayed.
How can you dispose of a sharps bin?
You can dispose of a sharp bin at the following places:
- GPs
- Pharmacies
- Local council clinical waste collections
- Household Waste Recycling Centres
Before dropping your bin off, it’s best to phone ahead to check they’re able to provide this service for you (not everywhere does).
Why is it important to dispose of sharps bins safely?
Disposing of sharps bins safely reduces the risk of infection and injury. Sharps bins contain clinical waste, which requires specialised waste removal services. Putting them in a normal household bin increases injury risk for people handling them and becomes an environmental hazard.
Where can you dispose of sharps bins?
Most pharmacies dispose of sharps bins, but it’s best to call and confirm before heading out to them. The service is free and shouldn’t take much time.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
Reference Popover #ref1
Treated trusted source
Crepet, A., & Sargent, C. (2022).
Infections in people who inject drugs on the acute medical take. Clinical Medicine, 22(5), 383.
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Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please talk to a doctor.
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