Waste and Recycling

Safe Needle Disposal

Needle Disposal

As of September 1, 2008, it is illegal to dispose of sharps (needles) waste in trash or recycling containers (Section 118286 of the California Health and Safety Code). Sharps are defined as hypodermic needles, pen needles, lancets, and other devices that are used to penetrate the skin for the delivery of medications derived from a household.

To accommodate the residents of Elk Grove, Allied Waste is now picking up approved sharps containers from a resident’s home, free of charge, by appointment only. To make an appointment to have your approved sharps container picked up free of charge, call Allied Waste at 635-2500.  Allied will pick up the container between the hours of 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Keep this in mind for sharps pick-up:

  • Sharps must be in an approved container, which can be purchased from your doctor’s office or local pharmacy
  • Sharps must be completely enclosed in container. They cannot spill out of the top.
  • Container must be labeled as “sharps container”.
  • Container must be sealed and closed. It cannot be broken, split or damaged.
  • The container must not contain any prescription drugs.

Sharps container(s) will not be picked up without an appointment.

Other Disposal Options Include

Household Hazardous Waste Facilities:

Sacramento Recycling & Transfer Station
8491 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento
(916) 478-2289
Hours: ABOP (antifreeze, batteries, oil, latex paint) accepted 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Thur.; all other Household Hazardous Waste accepted 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

Note: Residents who take needles to this facility will be charged $4.85 per pound, inlcuding the weight of the container.

North Area Recovery Station
4450 Roseville Rd., North Highlands
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue., Thur., Fri., Sat.

Doctor’s Offices:

These two locations will collect needles from their patients only.

Kaiser Permanente*
9201 Big Horn Blvd

Mail-back Service
You can buy this service, which comes with a needle container and mail-back packaging. You fill the needle container with your used needles and mail it back in the package that is provided by the company. You have to pay for this service, and the price usually depends on the size of the container you pick.

Two of the more popular websites that offer mail-back service:

http://www.bddiabetes.com/us/product/disposal_products.asp
These containers may also be purchased your local drug stores.
They can be reached at 1-888-bdcares

http://www.sharpsdisposal.com 1-800-207-0976

Home Needle Destruction Devices

Several manufacturers offer products for sale that allow you to destroy needles at home by either melting or breaking the needle.

There are two products that are FDA approved for in home-use for needle destruction. The “Disintegrator plus” is a needle destruction device that will melt the needles to be discarded as a common household trash. The “Q-103” is another needle destruction device that will break off the needle portion of the syringe. It can be found at www.qcareintl.com.