How to Dispose of Sharps in Your State

	Put used sharps in a heavy-duty, plastic container. See: List of acceptable containers. Loose sharps should never be thrown into the trash or toilet.
	When the container is about three-quarters (¾) full, put the lid on, seal it with duct tape, and label: DO NOT RECYCLE.
	Put the sealed plastic container in the household trash - do not recycle! If a trash collector is reluctant to collect a red sharps container, refer them to your state waste agency.

• If you have a needle clipper, it can be disposed of according to your state or local regulations when full. See: More information on needle clippers.
• Sharps that retract after use, or are very small, should be disposed of like all other sharps.

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If you would like to bring your sealed container to a community sharps disposal program, there are drop-off locations in Buncombe County, Cumberland County, Durham County, Gaston County, Graham County, Henderson County, Iredell County, New Hanover County and Orange County.

The Waste Management Division of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued the following guidelines for household-generated sharps: Click Here to Open

State guidelines provided courtesy of NeedyMeds via SafeNeedleDisposal.org.