Medical waste
Needles, syringes and medicines
Medical waste, including needles and unused medicines, needs to be disposed of carefully to ensure that no harm is caused to waste collectors, sorters and landfill workers.
What is medical waste?
There are two types of medical waste:
- Medical sharps: Needles, syringes, pipettes and lancets used in medical treatment. These must not be placed in residential, commercial or public bins, as there is a risk of puncture injury and infection to waste collection workers. Find out how to dispose of medical sharps below.
- Medicines: Unwanted or out-of-date medicines. These can have a negative effect on the environment if they are placed into the domestic waste stream
How do I dispose of medical sharps?
Home-injecting patients should buy a proper, puncture-resistant 'sharps' container. You can buy these containers from Diabetes NSW directly, or through your local pharmacy.
Randwick City Council runs a FREE community sharps disposal program to provide residents with a safe disposal service. Disposal is available at the following pharmacies:
- Blooms The Chemist - Kingsford
512-514 Anzac Parade, Kingsford NSW 2032 Phone: 02 9663 3900 - Bloom's Chemist Coogee
202 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee NSW 2034 Phone: 02 9665 5158 - Blooms The Chemist - Randwick
Shop 26, Royal Randwick Shopping Centre, 73 Belmore Road, Randwick, NSW 2031 Phone: 02 9398 1999 - Little Bay Pharmacy
Anzac Parade, Little Bay NSW 2036 Phone: 02 9661 7592 - Malabar Community Pharmacy
1218 Anzac Parade, Malabar NSW 2036 Phone: 02 9311 3677 - Pharmacy 4 Less
203 Maroubra Road, Maroubra Junction NSW 2035 Phone: 02 9349 3344 - Priceline Pharmacy Maroubra
Shop 14, 737 Anzac Parade, Pacific Square Shopping Centre
Maroubra Junction NSW 2035 Phone: 02 9349 4168 - Walsh's Village Pharmacy
Shop 3/5-6 Meagher Ave, Maroubra NSW 2035 Phone: 02 9311 0088 - Simons Pharmacy 1 Belmore Road Randwick NSW 2031 Phone: 02 9399 3040
- Health Corner Pharmacy 165 Perry Street Matraville Phone: 02 9661 3068
- Hallam Maroubra Chemists 168 Maroubra Road Maroubra NSW 2035 Phone: 02 9349 1540
- Frenchmans Road Pharmacy 59 Frenchmans Road Randwick NSW 2031 Phone: 02 9399 3921
- TerryWhite Chemmart Matraville Pharmacy 6/495-503 Bunnerong Rd Matraville NSW 2036 Phone: 02 9311 1686
How do I dispose of unwanted medicine?
Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) is an Australian not-for-profit company that has established a FREE service to collect unwanted or out-of-date medicines. Simply take your medicines to any local pharmacy and the RUM program will dispose of them. No medicines are reused or recycled.
Can I recycle medical waste?
No medical waste cannot be recycled and should be disposed off appropriately. Peritoneal dialysis FLUID BAGS & TUBING SETS - these materials are not suitable to be placed in council recycling services, regardless of whether they have been in direct contact with bodily waste fluids. Bags should be drained in the toilet, and bags and tubing sets wrapped and disposed of as household rubbish.