Many people rely on the use of needles and syringes to maintain their own health, or the health of a family member.
'Community sharps' is the name used to describe needles, syringes, lancets and similar equipment. Correct disposal of community sharps is important for the whole community.
Safe Handling of Community Sharps
Here are some practical suggestions on how to handle community sharps:
Community sharps should always be kept separate from other wastes. Due to the risk of injury to workers and other community members they should never be disposed of:
- in household waste or recycling bins (plastic syringes are NOT recyclable);
- in public litter bins;
- by flushing down toilets or drains; or
- by discarding into the environment.
Here are some practical suggestions for handling community sharps in the home:
- Use a sharps container or other appropriate puncture resistant container (not glass);
- Store container out of reach of children;
- Seal the lid of the container when three quarters full; and
- dispose of the container at one of the community sharps disposal locations - see the participating pharmacies tab for locations.
If you're away from home, here are some ways to safely dispose of community sharps:
- Place your injecting equipment in a community sharps bin in a public restroom or similar that has a community sharps disposal bin; or
- Place your injecting equipment in a sharps container or other appropriate puncture resistant container and dispose of the container at one of the community sharps disposal facilities - see participating pharmacies tab for locations.
If you find sharps in a public place, please report this as soon as possible to Liverpool City Council customer service on 1300 36 2170.
Liverpool City Council runs the Be Sharp Community Sharps disposal and collection program through a number of local pharmacies. This service is available to anyone who has sharps resulting from private use, irrespective of whether these are from prescribed medicines or recreational drug use.
The service is not available to businesses or companies that are generating waste sharps as a result of their operations.
A guide to the Safe Disposal of Community Sharps can be download here.
The pharmacies below will supply 1.4L sharps containers and take them back for disposal when full, free of charge.
Austral Pharmacist Advice | Elizabeth Drive Pharmacy | West Hoxton Pharmacy | Liverpool Discount Drug Store |
---|---|---|---|
Cnr Edmondson & Tenth Ave AUSTRAL 2179 |
130 Elizabeth Drive LIVERPOOL 2170 |
Cnr Fifteenth Ave & Edmondson Ave AUSTRAL 2179 |
Shop 2, 165-191 Macquarie St LIVERPOOL 2170 |
Mediadvice Pharmacy | Murray’s Pharmacy Liverpool | Priceline Pharmacy | Nand’s Pharmacy |
Shop 4, 21 The Northern Rd BRINGELLY 2556 |
238 Macquarie Street LIVERPOOL 2170 |
Shop B09, Carnes Hill Market Place Cowpasture Rd CARNES HILL 2171 |
187 Elizabeth Drive LIVERPOOL 2170 |
Casula Centre Pharmacy | Penna’s Discount Pharmacy | Priceline Pharmacy | Priceline Pharmacy |
Shop 3, 509 Hume Highway CASULA 2170 |
Shop 4, 72-78 Hoxton Park Rd LIVERPOOL 2170 |
Shop 38, Casula Mall 1 Ingham Drive CASULA 2170 |
Shop 1014, Westfield Liverpool Macquarie St LIVERPOOL 2170 |
Penna’s Pharmacy | Save and Deliver Pharmacy | Little Tree Pharmacy | Mediadvice Pharmacy |
Shop 10, Cecil Hills Shopping Village 1 Lancaster Rd CECIL HILLS 2171 |
Shop 1, 279 Macquarie St LIVERPOOL 2170 |
Shop 4, Chipping Norton Market Plaza Cnr Ernest Ave & Barry Road CHIPPING NORTON 2170 |
63 Hill Road LURNEA 2170 |
Priceline Pharmacy | Blooms the Chemist | Chen’s Pharmacy | Amcal Pharmacy |
Shop 2, The Valley Plaza 189 Wilson Road GREEN VALLEY 2168 |
Shop 46-48, Miller Central 90 Cartwright Ave MILLER 2168 |
44 Walder Road HAMMONDVILLE 2170 |
Shop 1, 42 Stockton Ave Cnr Stockton and Maddecks Ave MOOREBANK 2170 |
Hoxton Park Pharmacy | Moorebank Day & Night Pharmacy | Black & White Pharmacy | Penna’s Pharmacy |
Shop 14, 600 Hoxton Park Rd HOXTON PARK 2171 |
Shop 21, Moorebank Shopping Village 42 Stockton Ave MOOREBANK 2170 |
337 Hume Highway LIVERPOOL 2170 |
Shop 4, 57 Minnamurra Cct PRESTONS 217 |
Chen’s Pharmacy | Penna’s Pharmacy | Lurnea Pharmacy | Pharmacy 4 Less |
Shop 8, Wattle Grove Shopping Centre Cnr Village Way and Australis Ave WATTLE GROVE 2173 | 174 Green Valley Road | 54 Hill Road | Tenancy 11, Prestons Shopping Centre |