Senate Bill 1305 was adopted in 2006 and prohibits anyone from disposing of home-generated sharps, such as syringes, into trash receptacles, yard waste barrels or bins used to collect solid waste or recyclables due to the health risks such items pose to sanitary workers and the environment.

SB 1305 goes into effect on September 1, 2008, and everyone that uses a prefilled syringe, prefilled pen, or other prefilled injection devices, is encouraged to ask their Pharmacist about prepaid mail-back containers which have been approved by the Post Office and are safe to store and transport your sharps to locations where they can be properly destroyed or disposed of.

You may also ask your hospital or medical clinic where to dispose of sharps. Pursuant to SB 1305, you may no longer dispose of hypodermic needles or other sharps in any trash receptacle.