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How to Safely Get Rid of Used Needles or "Sharps"
If you use needles or "sharps" at home for medicine, you need to throw them away carefully. If you don't do it right, people or pets could get hurt by a poke.
Follow these simple rules to keep everyone safe!
1. Keep Needles Out of the Recycling
Do not recycle needles. They cannot be turned into new things. If you put them in with your recycling, they can poke the workers who help sort the items. They can also make a whole batch of recycling dirty, which means it all has to be thrown in the trash.
2. Pick a Strong Container
You can buy a special "Sharps Container" at a drug store, or you can make one at home using things you already have. If you make one, it must be very tough so the needles don't poke through.
Good Choices:
- Empty laundry soap container
- Empty bleach bottles
- Heavy plastic jugs with lids that screw on tight
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Metal coffee cans (if you tape the lid shut)
Bad Choices:
- Milk jugs: The plastic is too thin and easy to poke.
- Glass jars: These can break and make the hazard worse.
- Soda bottles: These are not strong enough.
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