Syringe & Other Sharps Disposal Policy

To ensure the safety of all students as well as Residential Life and Facilities staff, all students who use injected medication (such as insulin) or who test their blood are required to dispose of hypodermic syringes and/or lancets in approved sharps containers.

Students who require such containers can obtain them at no cost from Primary Care Health Services (PCHS), in the lower level of Brooks Hall, or from Residential Life, in 110 Sulzberger Hall.

Syringes should be placed in the sharps container; once the container is 2/3 full or once the contents rise to the FULL level marker on the container, the student should return it to PCHS (9am-5pm) for proper disposal, at which time the student will receive a replacement sharps container.

General Guidelines for Handling Syringes and Other Sharps

• All sharps should be disposed of via the red sharps containers that PCHS provides.
• Sharps should never be disposed of in the regular trash. This places an unfair risk of needle puncture on other students as well as Residential Life and Facilities staff.
• The safety devices on needles and other sharps should be activated immediately after use.
• Never carry an uncapped needle around with you or place it in your pocket.
• Used needles should not be recapped, bent, cut, removed from the syringe or tube holder, or otherwise manipulated.
• Do not pick up broken glass or other sharp objects with hands, use mechanical means such as a brush and dustpan, tongs, etc., or attempt to recap a needle that is not yours. 
• Do not recycle or reuse needles or syringes.
• Do not flush used needles or syringes down the toilet.
• Do not use glass containers to dispose of the needles or syringes.