Community sharps

We need to manage disposal safely to prevent needlestick injury in our public places, at home and for workers who remove waste or clean facilities.

Report a sharp

You can report discarded needles and syringes seen in our streets or parks.

Notify us

Apply for a sharps bin

If you’re a local pharmacy and wish to be included in our community sharps program, or a community member who wishes to apply for a sharps bin in your local area, apply here.

Apply now

NSW Health needle clean-up hotline

Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm

City of Sydney

Anytime, any day

Alcohol and Drug Information Service

ANYTIME, ANY DAY

Community sharps are needles, syringes and lancets that are used to administer medications and drugs outside a clinical setting.

Whether or not a community sharp is used for medication or drug use, sharps are to be treated as clinical waste, like they would be in a hospital.

Local councils have a number of community sharps bins installed in community centres, libraries, parks and public toilets to encourage discarded sharps to be managed separately from general waste.

Follow these steps if you are confident collecting the syringe.
1. Find a puncture proof container such as a plastic drink bottle or takeaway container and take it to the littered syringe. Place the container on the ground.
2. Pick up the syringe from the plunger end.
3. Place the syringe in the container, sharp end first.
4. Place the container in a community sharps bin or for collection call the NSW Health needle clean up hotline on 1800 633 353.
5. Wash your hands.
If you are not comfortable collecting the syringe, please contact the NSW Health needle clean-up hotline on 1800 633 353.
1. Wash the site with warm running water (do not squeeze the site).
2. Contact your local doctor.
3. For more advice and support, contact the post exposure hotline on 1800 737 669.