Don’t throw your medical sharps (lancets and pen needles) directly into the trash or flush them down the toilet. Put them into a sharps container. You can use an empty, hard, opaque (not see-through) plastic container that has a screw-on cap, such as a laundry detergent bottle. Don’t store sharps in glass bottles, soda bottles, milk jugs, aluminum cans, coffee cans, or paper or plastic bags. For more information, read How to Store and Get Rid of Your Home Medical Sharps.

Stop using your sharps container when it’s a little more than half full. Wrap the lid or cap with strong tape to make a more secure seal and keep it from leaking. Label the bottle “Home Sharps: not for recycling.”

If you live in New York City, you can place the sealed container in with your regular trash for collection. Don’t put it with your recyclables. If you live in a different county of New York or another state, check with your local department of health. You can also use the resources below to find more information specific to your area.

The information is from the Internet and is for reference only.