Used sharps pose a health risk. Never put needles and other sharp medical items in the trash, recycling, or medication collection drop boxes.
It is dangerous to mix household medical sharps (needles, syringes, and lancets) with household garbage and recyclables, or to flush them down the toilet. These sharps pose a health risk to anyone who comes into contact with these items and can injure sanitation workers or cause equipment problems. Therefore, it is important to properly package and dispose of all sharps.
Follow these five steps for packaging your used or discarded unused sharps at home:
Some registered sharps collection stations may charge a nominal fee and some offer the service for free. All Fort HealthCare Clinics and Fort Memorial Hospital are free sharps drop-off sites during regular business hours.
For more information about safe options for household sharps disposal, visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website at dnr.wi.gov. Additional information can be viewed at both the Jefferson County Health Department and the Watertown Department of Public Health.