Healthcare needles and other medical sharps

Find out how to dispose of your medical sharps safely.

Items such as hypodermic needles, syringes and subcutaneous (skin-penetrating) items are known as healthcare needles and sharps. These are used for prescribed medication or for your wellbeing at home.

What to do if you use these items

Do not dispose of them in your household bins.

Needles and sharps should only be disposed of in a sharps bin with either a yellow or purple lid. Which bin you have will depend on your medication. Your GP, pharmacist or healthcare professional will give you a prescription for a bin.

Yellow lidded sharps bins

Take these to designated pharmacies.

Find a pharmacy and information on the Norfolk Community Directory

Purple lidded sharps bins

These are for cytotoxic medication. These should not be taken to a pharmacy. Your local council will provide specific guidance on disposal.

Continuous glucose monitors

These monitors contain a battery and other electronic components. They are not suitable for disposal in a sharps bin. You can recycle these at your local recycling centre, with the small electrical items.

Find your nearest recycling centre on Norfolk County Council website

What's not covered

If a healthcare provider give you medications at your home, they must take these items away and dispose of them.

Any needles that are used to take non-prescription medication or substances, must not be put in your bin at home.

Find a needle exchange on the Norfolk Community Directory

Information for healthcare providers, care homes or nursing homes

Healthcare providers treating patients at home must dispose of any clincial waste. This includes needles and sharps.

Care and nursing homes must have their own arrangements for the disposal of clinical waste.

Community pharmacies are responsible for waste from an extra or enhanced service arrangement.