How Do I Dispose of Sharps Infectious Waste Container?

If you have been diagnosed with a condition that requires you to give yourself regular injections, you might be worried about what to do with the needles afterward since used needles are regarded as infectious waste. Each state's laws are slightly different, but the most important part of disposal is properly preparing the sharps, and that process is the same no matter where you live.

Things You'll Need

• Hard plastic container
• Duct tape
• Permanent marker

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Instructions

• 1

  Put the hard cap back on your needles after use. Most needles come with a soft inner cap and a hard outer cap. Throw out the soft cap, but put the needle back inside the hard cap. This will prevent it from sticking anybody should your hard plastic container crack open.

• 2

  Collect the used needles or sharps and keep them in one place. An empty bleach bottle makes an excellent choice for collecting your potentially infectious waste because it is a hard plastic and also has a childproof lid. You will find it easiest to keep your container in the area where you do the injections. If there are children in the house, remember to keep the cap on the bottle. Continue to dispose of sharps into the bottle until it is full.

• 3

  Seal the bottle once it is full. Make sure the cap is on tight and then wrap duct tape around the lid several times to create a tight seal on the bottle. Also wrap the tape twice around the bottle, from the top of the lid to the bottom of the bottle. This will create a backup in case the lid should be knocked loose.

• 4

  Dispose of the infectious waste container by placing it in the trash or bringing it to your local pharmacy for disposal depending on your state's laws. Call your local pharmacy to ask what the laws are in your state. Some states, such as Indiana, require that you label your bottle to identify the contents and put it in the trash, while other states, including Mississippi, specifically require that you do not label the bottle if you put it in the trash (see References for laws by state).