How to safely dispose of your sharps and syringes

Sharps and syringes (including lancet needles, microneedle patches, autoinjectors, and similar sharps) are biohazardous waste and must not be placed in the trash, recycling, or composting. Safe containment and disposal are required.

Residents of Johnson County and those living within city limits of Kalona and Riverside can safely dispose of used or unused sharps and syringes at no cost at the Hazardous Material Collection Facility, located at the Iowa City Landfill, 3900 Hebl Ave. SW.

Residential drop-off hours are Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon.

The facility will only accept sharps and syringes that are properly contained in a rigid plastic or metal container with a secure lid. Acceptable options include medical sharps containers or empty laundry detergent bottles clearly labeled "sharps."

Loose sharps or those packaged in unsafe containers, such as plastic bags, cardboard boxes, or thin plastic bottles like milk jugs, will not be accepted. Customers will be asked to take items back and repackage them before staff can accept them.

Sharps and syringes are not accepted from businesses at the facility. Businesses should contact GRP or Stericycle directly for disposal services, or call 319-887-6112 for more information.

Got unused or expired pills?

Drop-off locations, including several local pharmacies, are available around Johnson County for the safe disposal of controlled substances and other medications. For a current list of locations, use the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) search tool. The Hazardous Material Collection Facility accepts only non-controlled substances, such as Tylenol and antibiotics.

Collection events

Pharmaceutical and sharps collection events are held every April and October at the East Side Recycling Center, in partnership with the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day program.

Questions? Reach out to the City's Recycling Coordinator at [email protected] or visit www.icgov.org/hhm.