Sharps Disposal for Clinics in NSW: A Practical Guide

In short: every used needle, blade or lancet goes straight into a rigid sharps container at the point of use, never into a bag or general bin. Close the container when it reaches the fill line, store it securely, and have it collected by an NSW EPA-licensed transporter for treatment at a licensed facility.

Sharps are the biggest injury risk in clinical waste, for your staff, cleaners and collectors. Getting the basics right protects people and keeps your practice compliant.

What counts as a sharp?

Anything that can pierce or cut skin and may be contaminated, including:

• needles and syringes with needles attached
• scalpel blades and stitch cutters
• lancets and pen needles
• dental needles, burs and files
• broken glass ampoules and slides

Sharps are part of "clinical and related waste", which NSW classifies as special waste.

Choosing the right sharps container

Sharps containers must be rigid, puncture-resistant, leak-resistant and stable, yellow, and labelled for clinical sharps, with a fill line marked on the outside.

• Pick a size that suits your usage. A container that's too large can sit half-full for too long. One that's too small fills up mid-session.
• Use containers that meet the current standard. AS 23907:2023 containers have a temporary closure between uses and a permanent closure when full. NSW Health requires them for skin penetration businesses such as tattoo, piercing and cosmetic injection clinics.
• Never improvise. Drink bottles, cardboard boxes and bags aren't safe sharps containers.

Where to put sharps containers

• At the point of use, within arm's reach of where sharps are used, so nobody walks across a room holding a used needle.
• Upright and stable, on a bench or in a wall bracket, so they can't tip over.
• Out of reach of the public and children, especially in waiting rooms and shared bathrooms.

Using sharps containers safely

1. Drop sharps in straight after use. Don't leave them on trays or benches.
2. Don't recap, bend or snap needles before disposal.
3. Never push sharps down or try to fit more in.
4. Close the container at the fill line. Use the temporary closure between uses and lock it permanently when it reaches the line.
5. Never open a full container or tip one container into another.

Storing full containers until collection

• Keep sealed containers in a secure, lockable area or a lockable clinical waste bin, away from public areas, food and clean supplies.
• Keep them upright, and don't stack anything heavy on top.
• Make sure the storage area is clean, dry and free of pests, with a spill kit nearby.

What to do after a needlestick injury

Healthdirect's first-aid advice is:

1. Wash the area with soap and water for at least 30 seconds.
2. Don't squeeze or rub the skin around the injury.
3. Cover it with a clean dressing.
4. Get medical advice immediately, from a doctor or the nearest emergency department.

Then report it under your practice's incident and exposure procedure. Make sure every staff member, including your cleaners, knows that procedure.

Who can collect sharps in NSW?

Sharps must be transported by a collector licensed by the NSW EPA and taken to a licensed treatment facility. Ask any collector for their EPA licence and where your waste is treated.

M&I Cleaning & Waste Management Services collects sharps and clinical waste across Sydney under our NSW EPA licence. We supply sharps containers in a range of sizes, clinical bins and biohazard bags, and collect daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly or on call. Because we also clean dental and medical practices, our cleaners know how to work safely around sharps areas.

See our medical waste collection service, or our guide to what goes in a clinical waste bin.

Frequently asked questions

Can sharps go in a yellow clinical waste bag?

No. Sharps always go in a rigid sharps container, never loose in a bag, where they can pierce through and injure someone.

How full can a sharps container get?

Only to the fill line marked on the container. Close and lock it once it reaches the line.

How often should sharps be collected?

Often enough that full containers aren't stored longer than is safe for your practice. Many small clinics collect fortnightly or monthly, and busier practices weekly or more often.

This guide is general information for NSW practices as at October 2026, not medical or legal advice. Follow your practice's own infection control and exposure procedures.

Sources: NSW Health PD2020_049 Clinical and Related Waste Management · NSW Health beauty treatment fact sheet · Healthdirect: needlestick injuries · SafeWork NSW: packing and transporting clinical waste