Sharps Disposal

Shield - Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts logo

Sharps Disposal
Shield - Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts logo

Sharps
Disposal

Steps for safe needle disposal

I found a needle. Now what?

A few items found in most households can allow you to protect yourself to safely dispose of needles found in your community.

  •  Treat all needles and drug equipment as contaminated
  •  Do not try to recap the needle or break the tip off
  •  Do not flush needles down the toilet or put them loose in the garbage or recycling box

Equipment Needed:

  • Gloves
    (latex, vinyl, garden)
  • Tongs
  • Plastic container or sharps container

Pick it up:

With a gloved hand, use tongs or a grabber to pick up the syringe and dispose of it in a hard-sided container such as a laundry detergent jug. Be sure to seal the bottle, tape it shut, and label it “Sharps” on at least two sides.

Image of a hand picking up a syringe with tongs
Image of a hand picking up a syringe with tongs placing it in a bottle

Dispose of it:

  • In a trash bin: once sealed in a taped, hard-sided container, sharps are approved for landfill disposal. Do not recycle the container!
  • At a community disposal site:
    350 Albemarle Ave, SW, 24016 (Mon-Fri, 10-6pm) or
    502 Campbell Ave, SW, 24016 (Mon-Fri, 9-4pm)
  • At a hazardous waste collection event: https://bit.ly/hwce25
  • Finding more than a few needles in one spot? Roanoke Valley residents can request a neighborhood clean-up through the Drop-In Center or the Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition (VHRC).
    Drop In Center sharps clean-up request form
    VHRC sharps clean-up request form
Bottle with syringe being placed in biohazard container
Last Updated: December 19, 2025