Disposal of Needles From Tattoos

Tattoo guns use special needles to inject the tattoo ink into a person's skin. These needles repeatedly pierce the skin, often drawing blood and making them a bio hazard. Health safety regulations require tattoo needles to be disposed of in the same manner as regular hypodermic needles. This means that a tattoo needle should be discarded appropriately after each use, even if the same needle is to be used again on the same person. Proper disposal of these needles is essential in the prevention of communicable diseases.

Things You'll Need

• Sharps container

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Instructions

• 1

  Remove the needle from the tattoo gun. Use the needle for every part of the tattoo for which it is needed, then immediately remove it when you are finished.

• 2

  Put the needle into the Sharps container. Many of these containers are designed to prevent blades or needles from being taken out once they are inserted into the container, so you may need to open a small latch to place the needle inside.

• 3

  Send the Sharps container off for proper disposal once it is full. Check the label on the container or contact your local health department if you have any questions about how or where to ship your Sharps container.