The following are some of the disposal options available to you for disposal of sharps waste:

• Pharmacies: Some drug store chains take back their customers' needles, although large quantities might not be accepted.
• Mail-Back Service: A list of sharps waste mail-back services authorized for use in California is available from the California Department Of Public Health (CDPH). Mail back service can be purchased, which comes with a sharps container and mail-back packaging to mail your container back once it is full. The cost of service usually depends on the size of the container you choose.
  
• Call 1-800-CLEANUP (1-800-253-2687), a service of Earth 911, or visit the www.earth911.com website for sharps collection locations.
• Hospital Take Back: Hospitals might take back needles (sharps) from those patients who go to the hospital for regular outpatient services.

Trash: Please keep in mind that all trash is handled by people both at recycling facilities and at landfills. These people could be stuck by needles or other sharps that poke through their protective clothing, including heavy gloves and boots. This could result in serious injury, including infection by pathogens either from the needle user, or by pathogens that contaminate a needle after it is disposed. After September 1, 2008, home-generated sharps can no longer be thrown in the trash or in recycling containers. To avoid needle sticks at home and protect garbage and recycling workers, don’t do the following:

• Don’t throw used needles, syringes, or lancets in the
  garbage.
  
• Don’t put needles in recycling containers.
• Don’t flush needles down the toilet.

FAQ’s

Can I throw my sharps in the trash?

• No, it is illegal. If you self-inject at home, State law prohibits disposal of your sharps in the trash.

Where do I place my sharps once they have been used?

• You must place your sharps in a proper container. You can pick one up for free at County designated distribution sites.

Once filled, how can I dispose of my sharps container?
When your sharps container is full, take it to any of the County's designated collection sites (free County mobile Household Hazardous Waste Collection events, the Antelope Valley Environmental Collection Center (AVECC), the City of Los Angeles' Permanent S.A.F.E. Centers, or a designated Department of Public Health clinic). The closest S.A.F.E. Collection Centers to Santa Clarita are in Sun Valley or Antelope Valley. Their site information is as follows:

• S.A.F.E. Collection Center
  110225 Randall Street
  Sun Valley, CA 91352
  (800) 988-6942
  Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  
  
• Antelope Valley Environmental Collection Center
  1200 West City Ranch Road
  Palmdale, CA 91352
  (800) 253-2652
  1st and 3rd Saturday of the month from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.