Safe Disposal of Sharps and Pharmaceuticals
Lakewood is working to help residents keep their “sharps” and expired medications out of normal trash, as required by state law.
What are sharps?
“Sharps” are hypodermic needles, intravenous needles or lancets used to penetrate the skin for the delivery of medications -- often for insulin.
They require a special safe container for disposal, as they can't be placed in your trash, recycle or organics carts.
The safest way to collect and dispose of sharps waste is to use only state-approved sharps containers, similar to the one pictured above.
If you do not have a state-approved sharps container, you can use a heavy-duty clean bleach or detergent bottle with a tight fitting lid to collect used sharps.
Do not use plastic water or soda bottles, as they will puncture.
How to get a sharps container
- Pick up your FREE mail-back sharps container at Lakewood City Hall during open hours. (Containers are limited to one per person per visit, while supplies last.)
- Request a free mail-back sharps container be sent to you from LA County by visiting the CleanLA website.
- Check your pharmacy to see if they offer approved sharps containers or have take-back programs for filled containers.
- See the Sharps Waste Management Brochure(PDF, 287KB) for a list of distribution sites to get a free container and collection sites for disposal.
All sharps disposal containers should be:
- Made of a heavy-duty plastic
- Able to close with a tight-fitting, puncture-resistant lid, without sharps being able to come out
- Upright and stable during use
- Leak resistant
- Properly labeled to warn of hazardous waste inside the container
- Filled only 3/4 full (not to the top) and sealed securely when ready for disposal
- Kept out of reach of children and pets
Once the container is filled 3/4 full, prepare it for safe disposal by sealing the top of the container with tape and ensuring it is labeled "SHARPS."
Where to dispose of sharps safely
When your sharps container is about 3/4 full, labeled and tightly sealed (per the instructions on the container), take it to a designated collection site.
EDCO will accept them at their regularly scheduled 2nd and 4th Saturday collection events, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at:
EDCO
2755 California Ave.
Signal Hill, CA
(Map and driving directions)
For more information, see the EDCO flyer(PDF, 2MB) or visit the EDCO Recycling and Transfer webpage.
Do not flush your sharps or medications down the toilet or drain.
Do not place your sharps in the trash, recycling bin or organic cart.
Disposing of expired prescription drugs
Unwanted or expired medications may not be flushed down the drain, because wastewater treatment plants are not able to remove pharmaceuticals from waste water.
Saving unused or expired medications can also pose a danger to small children who may find and swallow the products. Or they can get into the hands of experimenting teenagers.
Bring expired medications to the EDCO facility in Signal Hill during their regularly scheduled 2nd and 4th Saturday collection events, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
See the EDCO Hazardous Waste event flyer(PDF, 2MB).
Additionally, you may take your expired medications to a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Event, which are held in various locations in L.A. County. View the County's calendar for HHW events.
Certain pharmacies also offer pharmaceutical disposal kiosks during regular pharmacy hours. Please call your pharmacy to get information.
Need more information?
Call (888) Clean-LA or visit the CleanLA LA County website for more information, including a list of designated distribution and collection sites throughout the county.