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Biomedical Waste

The Bay Area Sharps Disposal Program was designed as a no-cost community service to assist the residents of Hillsborough County with a safe and environmentally sound method for disposing of used needles or "sharps."

The improper disposal of sharps threatens the safety of every member of the community, as they may be contaminated with hepatitis, HIV, and/or other serious diseases. The risk of injury or harm is very real and very frightening.

If you have a medical condition that requires the use of injected medications, please make the extra effort to participate in this free program. While helping prevent accidental needle sticks in our community, you may also be protecting yourself from liability.

How Should I Dispose of Used Needles and Syringes?

The disposal program is made possible by the medical facilities listed on our Sharps Disposal Sites page. Each of the participating facilities has volunteered to provide this service to the community, free of any cost to you.

  1. Visit one of the disposal sites during the indicated hours.
  2. Ask for a sharps container and instructions on its use.
  3. Keep the container out of reach of children.
  4. Dispose of your used syringes completely intact into the sharps container.
  5. When the container is approximately ¾ full, permanently close the top.
  6. Return the filled sharps container to any participating Sharps Disposal Site.
  7. Obtain a new sharps container! FREE!

To become a disposal site, please visit the Florida Department of Health for more information.

Environmental Health Services also inspects, permits and investigates any complaints associated with facilities that generate, transport and/or treat biomedical waste in Hillsborough County or dispose of the waste improperly.

If you have any questions concerning any of our programs, call (813) 307-8059 - Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm.