Patient guide
How to dispose of a full sharps bin
If you inject your treatment, your used needles go into a sharps bin. Once it is full, it needs to go somewhere safe — never in your household rubbish. Here is how to seal it, where it can go, and how to find the right service where you live.
Using your bin, and sealing it when it’s full
Keep it somewhere safe
Stand your bin upright on a stable surface, out of reach of children and pets. Keep the lid in its temporary closed position between injections.
Put needles in straight away
Remove the needle the way the instructions with your pen or needles describe, then drop it straight into the bin. Never leave a used needle lying around, even for a moment.
Stop at the fill line
Your bin has a line marked on it. Once the contents reach it, the bin is full — even if there looks to be room left. Never press the contents down or force anything in.
Lock the lid
Push the lid into its final closed position until it clicks and locks. A locked bin is designed not to open again, so never try to.
Label it if you are asked to
Some bins have a label on the side. Fill it in if your pharmacy or council asks you to when you hand it over.
Where to take a full sharps bin
There is no single national service. What is available depends on your council and your local pharmacies, so it is worth a quick phone call or search before you set off.
In England and Wales, the gov.uk Request a clinical waste collection page finds your council from your postcode. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, go to your council’s website or ask your pharmacy.
Getting a new sharps bin
If you’re an Evernu patient on a weight-loss injection, we send a sharps bin with your first order. Need another, or finding it fills up faster than expected? Message our team from your account and we’ll arrange one.
Your GP practice or pharmacy may also be able to supply one.
Common questions
Can I put a sharps bin in my household rubbish?
No. A sharps bin must never go in your household rubbish or recycling, even when it is sealed. Take it to a pharmacy that accepts them, or use your council’s sharps or clinical waste collection.
How full should a sharps bin be before I seal it?
Fill it only up to the line marked on the side, then lock the lid. Overfilling means needles can stick out of the opening, which is how injuries happen.
Can I take my sharps bin to any pharmacy?
Not always. Whether a pharmacy accepts sharps bins depends on local arrangements, so phone ahead. If yours does not, they can often tell you which nearby pharmacy does.
Is council sharps collection free?
It depends on your council. Some collect for free, some charge, and some ask for a form from a healthcare professional first. Your council’s website will say.
How do I find my council’s sharps collection service?
In England and Wales, the gov.uk “Request a clinical waste collection” page finds your council from your postcode. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, go to your council’s website directly or ask your pharmacy.
I have finished my treatment but my bin is not full. What do I do?
Lock the lid and dispose of it in the same way as a full one. Do not keep a part-filled bin open for months.
Can I empty my sharps bin and use it again?
No. Sharps bins are single-use. Once locked they are designed not to reopen, and you should never try to empty one.
Questions about your injections?
Our clinical team is here to help with anything about your treatment, from injecting to storing and disposing of your supplies.