Hypodermic needles
Hypodermic needles can be dangerous for staff handling waste, so please never place needles in your recycling bins. If you have a medical condition that requires their use please ensure you return your used sharps to the place of purchase to dispose of them correctly.
Safe and convenient options
You can now take your sharps to participating pharmacies and designated health sites for disposal. Community sharps are needles, syringes and lancets used outside the normal clinical setting of hospitals and doctor's surgeries.
Sharps must be packaged in a strong, sealed container, such as a plastic milk or soft drink container, before taking them for disposal
Sharps are not recyclable and therefore must never be placed in recycling bins
Want to know where to dispose of your sharps safely?
Locally
If you use sharps at home for self-medication you can now dispose of your sharps at the following places:
- Friendly Society Pharmacy, 18 Prince Street, Grafton
- Ada & Flynn Pharmacy, 64 Prince Street, Grafton
- Pollocks Chemworld Chemist, 44A Prince Street, Grafton
- Dawson’s Chemist, 53 Prince Street, Grafton
- Nightingale’s Pharmacy, Grafton Shoppingworld
- Guardian Southside Pharmacy, 4/94 Bent Street, South Grafton
- Grafton Base Hospital, Arthur Street, Grafton
- Grafton Community Health Centre, Arthur Street, Grafton
- Stanfords Pharmacy, 253 River Street, Maclean
- Iluka Pharmacy, 6 Young Street, Iluka
- Maclean District Hospital, 21 Union Street, Maclean
Nationally
www.safesharps.org.au
Special assistance with medical waste
If you or a member of your family has a long term medical condition that produces medical waste that creates an unhygienic environment, JR Richards may be able to offer a weekly red bin collection at no extra charge. This is a community service provided by waste contractor JR Richards for disadvantaged members of our community. Please write a brief letter to the General Manager, Clarence Valley Council Locked Bag 23 Grafton outlining the medical condition and include your address and telephone number. You will be advised by Council once your application has been assessed.