Many community members need to use sharps such as needles, syringes and lancets. If you use or find sharps, it is important to handle and dispose of them safely to protect yourself and the community from injury and infection.
On this page:
How to dispose of sharps safely
At home
When at home, place sharps in a rigid-walled container. Seal and dispose of the container in a regular wheelie bin (never in a recycling bin). Never mix sharps in with general household waste.
You can also dispose of personal use needles and syringes in sharps bins at:
- Recycling and Waste Centres (provide proof of residency on arrival, such as your driver's licence)
- Redlands Hospital
- some pharmacies.
In public
Below is a list of wall-mounted sharps containers in Redland City as well as the list of Recycling and Waste Centres that have sharps bins.
Note: Commercial and medical operators will not be able to use these facilities and must make their own arrangements.
Containers taken to Recycling and Waste Centres must be sealed, rigid-walled and puncture resistant.
Wall-mounted sharps containers
Alexandra Hills
- Peace Park. Toilet block (mens/womens)
Capalaba
- John Fredericks Park, Toilet block (mens/womens)
- Library, Capalaba Place, Toilets (mens/womens/disabled)
Cleveland
- Woolworths Carpark, Toilet block (mens/womens)
- Stradbroke Ferries Terminal, Toilet block (mens/womens)
- Library Building, Toilet block next to café (disabled/mens/womens)
- Library (internal), Toilets (disabled)
- Council Administration Building, Ground Floor, Toilets near gallery (mens/womens)
Dunwich
- Dunwich Boat Ramp, Toilet Block
Lamb Island
- Toilet block Next to Pioneer Park Hall (mens/womens)
- Jetty Toilet block (mens/womens)
Redland Bay
- Weinam Creek Boat Ramp, Banana Street Toilet block near Ferry Terminal (mens/womens)
Wellington Point
- Pye Lane, Toilet block (mens/womens)
Recycling and Waste Centres sharps bins
Sharps bins are installed at the following Recycling and Waste Centres:
Birkdale
537-609 Old Cleveland Rd East, Birkdale
Redland Bay
761-789 German Church Rd, Redland Bay
North Stradbroke Island
East Coast Rd, Myora
Commercial use
Commercial and medical operators should make separate arrangements to dispose of sharps.
What to do if you find sharps
If you find sharps or needles in the community, don't try to remove them or their containers by yourself.
Instead, place an object on or around the sharps to alert others. Contact council and tell us the exact location of the sharps:Council's trained staff will remove the sharps.
Sharps on private property
If you find needles, syringes or sharps on private property, contact the Clean Needle Helpline on 1800 633 353 for advice on how to handle and dispose of the sharps.
Needle stick injuries
Advice to help you treat needle stick injuries is available from the Queensland Government website.