How To Throw Out Used

Insulin Syringes and 

Lancets At Home

A Booklet For Young People With 

Diabetes And Their Families
A Note To Adults

This bookletis for young people with insulin-dependent diabetes and for you.

People living in the United States use more than one billion (1,000,000,000) syringes,

needles, and lancets each year to take care oftheir diabetes. This bookletshows you 

the safe way to handle and throw out used insulin syringes and lancets at home.

It’s simple. The easy directions on the following pages show you how to protect your

family and waste handlers from injury—and help keep the environment clean and safe!

While you are reading this booklet, keep in mind that yourstate, county, ortown may

have special rules about how to dispose ofsyringes and lancets. They may also have a

special collection centerforthese items. You should ask your doctor, diabetes educator,

or community representative how to find out about any rules or collection programs in

your area.
United States

Environmental Protection

Agency

November 2003

EPA530-F-98-025C

www.epa.gov/osw

New Information

About Disposing of

Medical Sharps

The Coalition for Safe Community Needle Disposal, comprised

of medical, government and waste association and private sector

companies, is working with the Environmental Protection Agency

to evaluate and promote alternative disposal methods for used

needles and other medical sharps.

Improper management of discarded needles and other sharps

can pose a health risk to the public and waste workers. For example, discarded needles may expose waste workers to potential

needle stick injuries and potential infection when containers break

open inside garbage trucks or needles are mistakenly sent to

recycling facilities. Janitors and housekeepers also risk injury if

loose sharps poke through plastic garbage bags. Used needles can

transmit serious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis. 

The Coalition has identified several types of safe disposal

programs for self- injectors. Instead of placing sharps in the trash,

self-injectors are encouraged to use any of these alternative disposal methods:

• Drop Box or Supervised Collection Sites

Sharps users can take their own sharps containers filled

with used needles to appropriate collections sites:

doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, health

departments, or fire stations. Services are free or have

a nominal fee. Check with your pharmacist or other

health care provider for availability in your area.
• Mail-back Programs

Sharps users place their used sharps in special containers

and return the container by mail to a collection site for

proper disposal. This service usually requires a fee. Fees

vary, depending on the size of the container. Check with

your health care provider, pharmacist, yellow pages, or

search the Internet using keywords “sharps mail back.”

• Syringe Exchange Programs (SEP)

Sharps users can safely exchange used needles for

new needles. Contact the North American Syringe

Exchange Network at 253-272-4857 or online at

<www.nasen.org>.

• At-home Needle Destruction Devices

Several manufacturers offer products that allow you to

destroy used needles at home. These devices sever, burn,

or melt the needle, rendering it safe for disposal. Check

with your pharmacist or search the internet using

keywords “sharps disposal devices.” The prices of these

devices vary according to product type and manufacturer. 

For More Information:

• Call your local solid waste department or public

health department to determine the correct disposal

method for your area.

• Ask your health care provider or local pharmacist if

they offer disposal, or if they know of safe disposal

programs in the area.

• Contact the Coalition for Safe Community Needle

Disposal at 1-800-643-1643 Ask about the

availability of safe disposal programs in your area or

for information on setting up a community disposal

program. Visit www.epa.gov/epaoswer/other/medical.

This website also offers a list of all state

health and solid waste/sanitation department

contacts.
Most people with insulin-dependent diabetes use

syringes and lancets every day. But what do you

do with them when you’re done?

Like anything else we throw out, lancets and syringes

need to be disposed of properly. Otherwise they can end

up in places they don’t belong, like beaches. And because they

have very sharp, pointy ends,they can hurt people by accident, like the

person who collects your garbage,someone in yourfamily, or even you!

Butthere’s a simple way you can help protect people and the environment. It’s quick and easy!

Justfollow these TWO steps

We use lancets

to test our blood

sugar level!

☞

Did You Know?

People with insulin-dependent diabetes know

how importantsyringes and lancets are for

controlling their diabetes and staying healthy.

1

We use syringes to

take insulin!
After you’ve given yourself an insulin shot, put your

syringe directly into a strong plastic or metal container

with a tight cap orlid. After you use a lancet, you can put

itinto the same containertoo.

Don’ttry to bend,

break, or putthe 

cap back on your

needle...you might

hurt yourself!

Keep your container 

out of reach of small 

children and pets!

Make It E

Keep your container in t

usually have yourinsulin 

blood sugar.

Put A Lid On It!

Step

1

4
Container Do's

The best containers to use are

those that:

✔ Are made ofstrong plastic,so

needles can’t poke through.

✔ Have a small opening on top with a cap orlid thatscrews on

tightly to preventspills.

✔ Are notrecyclable in your community. Putrecyclable containers back into use whenever possible!

Some examples mightinclude a plastic bleach jug, plastic liquid detergent bottle, or plastic milk jug. You

can use a coffee can,too. But when it gets full,

close the lid tightly and seal it with strong

tape.

Container Don’ts

✘Don’t use glass containers (they can break), orlightweight

plastic containers.

✘Don’t use any containerthat will be returned to a store.

✘If you use a recyclable containerto dispose ofsyringes and

lancets, be sure it doesn’t end up in the recycling bin by mistake. These items are notrecyclable, and could affectthe safe

and effective recycling of otheritems in the bin.

sy!

ame room you

ot ortest your

BLEACH

Detergent

MILK

Many household items

make good containers!

5
BLEACH

That's it?

Yep!

When the containeris full,tightly secure the lid and reinforce it with heavy-duty tape before

throwing itin the trash. Be sure notto putitin the recycling bin.

Pitch In!

Step

2

6
BLEACH

1. Put yoursyringes and lancets into a strong _ _ _ _ _ _ _ or

(CLIPAST)

_ _ _ _ _ container and tighten the _ _ _.

(LATME) (DLI)

2. When it gets full,reinforce the lid with _ _ _ _ and throw

(PETA)

your_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ into the _ _ _ _ _ !

(RENTANOIC) (SHART)

After you use a syringe or a lancet, putit

directly into a strong plastic or metal 

container with a tight cap orlid.

When the container is full and tightly sealed

with heavy-duty tape,throw it outin the

trash. Don’t putthis containerin your

recycling bin.

CUT OUT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE AND KEEP IT NEAR YOUR CONTAINER AS A REMINDER.

Remember

Word Scramble

Step 1: 

Put A Lid On It!

Step 2: 

Pitch In!

✁

7
For additional copies ofthis booklet, please call the RCRA Hotline 

Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.to 6 p.m., Eastern time.

The national toll-free numberis 800 424-9346; forthe hearing impaired itis TDD 800 553-7672.

In Washington, DC,the numberis 703 412-9810; TDD 703 412-3323.

This booklet may be photocopied.

1EPA

Congratulations!

Now you know how to handle and throw

out used insulin syringes and lancets safely.

Pass It On!

Do you know others with insulin-dependent

diabetes? Tell them what you’ve learned about handling and safe disposal of used syringes and lancets.

By spreading the word, you can help others keep the

environment clean and safe!

United States 

Environmental Protection 

Agency

EPA530-K-99-008

September 1999

www.epa.gov

2 Printed on paper that contains at least 30 percent postconsumer fiber.