Discarded needles and syringes

We will remove needles and syringes from the adopted highway and land adjacent to the highway.

If the needles and syringes have been left in an unsafe location and they need immediate removal, these safety guidelines must be adhered to -

find a suitable container try to get a plastic container with screw top lid to place the needle or syringe. Do not use glass bottles or drinks cans
take the container to the needle or syringe
place something protective on your hands like rubber or thick leather gloves
do not touch the needle or syringe use tweezers or tongs to pick up the needle or syringe
do not touch the sharp point with your hands
do not put the cap back on or re-sheath
place the sharp end of the needle into the container first
you can place more than one needle or syringe into a container but do not overfill
make sure the container lid is tightly sealed
do not dispose of the container in regular waste, down the toilet or drain
it must be disposed of by incineration as clinical waste
keep the container in a safe place until collected
wash everything you have used to handle the items in an antiseptic detergent

You can request the removal of discarded needles and syringes if they are located on a -

Items which are found in an unsafe location and need immediate removal should be reported by telephoning 01482 300 300.

You should be very careful when moving needles or syringes yourself. Keep children away from them.

We aim to locate the items and remove them within 24 hours.

If a needle or syringe has been deposited in your garden, call 01482 300 300 for removal.

You can find more information about sharps collections.