To minimize the risk of improper disposal of syringes, needles, lancets and other sharp medical utensils, many Florida counties have implemented programs that provide accessible methods to dispose of this type of waste in a safe manner.

The Miami-Dade County Health Department (MDCHD) has established a program that enables home users to dispose of their sharp objects at designated healthcare facilities within the surrounding communities. Many homeowners can find assistance through a local county needle collection program. This is a free, voluntary program for Miami-Dade County residents and visitors.

How to Start?

• If you are a first time user please place needles, syringes, lancets and other sharp objects into an approved bio-medical waste sharps container, heavy-duty plastic such as a detergent bottle or metal container with a screw on top that can be secured and tightly closed.
• Reinforce the closure securing it with heavy duty tape.
• Do not use clear plastic or glass for these containers.
• Take your sharps containers to the reception desk of participating MDCHD locations between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Locations not participating in the program will not accept your container.

Approved MDCHD Sharps Disposal Sites

Disposing of Sharps with your Household Garbage Collection

As a last resort, if you cannot dispose of your sharps at one of the MDCHD locations, the Florida Department of Health and Florida Department of Environmental Protection recommend individuals follow these guidelines for disposal of sharps.

• Place needles, syringes with needles, lancets and other sharp objects into a hard plastic such as a detergent bottle or metal container with a screw-on top or other tight fitting lid (i.e., an empty paint can).
• Before the container is full all the way to the top, put on the top or lid with heavy-duty tape.
• Put the container in the center of your garbage when you place it out for collection.
• Do not put needles and other sharp objects in any container you plan to recycle.
• Do not use clear-plastic or glass containers.