Advice on correctly disposing of ‘sharps waste’

13 July 2026

West Northamptonshire residents are being urged to correctly dispose of ‘sharps waste’ after an increase in the amount going into household waste (general waste and recycling bins).

‘Sharps waste’ could be needles, including screw on pen needles, and lancets from injection pens and other at-home medication such as finger-prick devices. These must always be placed in a specific sharps box and disposed of via a free booked collection service with your Local Authority. Some injection pen cartridges can be recycled. Visit the Pen Cycle website to arrange this.

It is understood the increase is linked to the rise in use of weight loss medications that are injected via a pen and supplied by the NHS as well as online pharmacies.

Councillor Laura Couse – Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health said: “Disposing of needles and other sharps devices in your household or recycling waste not only exposes refuse collectors to potential harm, it it leads to waste and recycling lorries becoming contaminate. Contaminated waste or recycle lorries will then need to dispose of the waste or recycle load via landfill.

“Sharps must be placed in a sharps box provided by your healthcare provider or online pharmacy, and safely disposed of via a sharps disposal service. If you have not been provided with a sharps box or you need a new one, please contact your healthcare provider or online pharmacy.”

Speak to the healthcare provider who prescribed your medication to see if they can assist with the safe disposal of sharps waste, or alternatively you can book a collection in West Northamptonshire via our clinical waste and sharps collection page.

Residents looking to start or continue their healthy weight journey can also access 12 weeks support from a dedicated health coach. Visit the Healthy Weight page for more information.