Community Sharps Collection Program

What is the program?

Burwood Council’s Community Sharps Collection Program supports safe disposal of sharps and helps protect public health across our community. Council is currently facilitating access to sharps disposal points and is promoting participating businesses on our website to improve awareness and accessibility for residents.

What are community sharps?

Community sharps are generated by community members through self-administered healthcare, body modification and recreational drug use. This includes:

• Needles
• Syringes (even if the needle is removed)
• Pen needles for insulin pens
• Lancets and other finger prickers that are used for self-injecting purposes at a private residence or public place.
  
  
  

How to dispose of sharps

Place sharps in a sharps container or other puncture resistant container (not glass) and drop it off at a participating sharps disposal point. For safety reasons, loose or improperly stored sharps cannot be accepted.

Note, sharps disposal points are not suitable as a collection service for businesses unless priorly agreed upon.

Why dispose of sharps safely?

Well managed community sharps where people have reasonable access to safe disposal facilities can contribute to the health and safety of communities and reduce the risk of harm to the environment.  If disposed of incorrectly, they pose a significant risk to the community including the transmission of blood borne viruses and other needle stick injuries.

Where to dispose of sharps in Burwood?

See the following businesses that are currently participating in the Burwood Community Sharps Collection Program.  

Blooms The Chemist

Shop 46-47, 42-50 Railway Parade, Burwood NSW 2134 (Burwood Plaza)

Blooms The Chemist Burwood provides a safe sharps disposal service for the community, with the following guidelines:

• Only sharps stored in an approved sharps container purchased from this pharmacy will be accepted.
• Once your container is full, you can return it to the pharmacy and exchange it for a new one.
• All sharps must be fully sealed within the container at the time of return to ensure safe handling.

Croydon Village Pharmacy

18 The Strand, Croydon NSW 2132

Croydon Village Pharmacy offers a free sharps disposal service for the community, with the following guidelines:

• Sharps are accepted at no cost when they are fully contained in an approved sharps container.
• Sharps must be securely sealed within the container at the time of return to ensure safe handling.
• Sharps containers are available for purchase at the pharmacy if needed.

Croydon Health Centre

24 Liverpool Rd, Croydon

• There is a dispensing machine at the front of Croydon Health Centre where community members can buy and dispose of sharps. 

• The machine is self-serve machine which is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

For businesses…Why participate?

Participation in these programs delivers an additional service to customers, as well as demonstrating community support and environmental responsibility by providing a safe disposal option for problematic medical waste.

For businesses interested in participating, download the Community Sharps Collection Program Information Letter (PDF)(PDF, 584KB) .

To register your interest in participating in the program, please email eh.team@burwood.gov.au