Sharps Are NOT Accepted

Posted on:
June 5, 2026

This needle was recently found in Victoria County’s recycling stream

To some people, it may seem small but to the staff sorting our materials, it represents a very serious hazard. 

When sharps are placed in garbage or recycling bags, workers can be accidentally pricked while collecting or sorting materials. A single needle-stick injury can result in months of stress, medical appointments, bloodwork, and up to a year of testing to determine whether diseases or infections were transmitted.

Our staff deserve to return home safely to their families every day. 

Sharps are NOT accepted through municipal waste collection or at any of our waste or recycling facilities. 

This includes: 

• Needles 
• Syringes 
• Lancets 
• Pen needles 
• Auto-injectors and similar medical sharps 

Sharps should ALWAYS be placed in an approved sharps container and returned to a pharmacy for safe disposal. 

Sharps containers are available through pharmacies, although Nova Scotia is currently experiencing a temporary sharps container shortage. Even during this shortage, sharps should NEVER be placed in household garbage or recycling. Please speak with your pharmacy for guidance on safe temporary storage and disposal options. 

Together, we can help protect waste collection and recycling staff, facility workers, and the public by disposing sharps safely.  

To learn more about proper sharps disposal, visit: https://pans.ns.ca/sharps-disposal-program/  

RESOURCES 

• Sharps & Medication Disposal Programs 
• Sharps Waste Handling Procedures 
• Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia