Dispose of 'Sharps' Properly 

The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (DOH-Manatee) offers two locations for public disposal of used syringe needles, lancets, and other “sharps.”

The Sharps Disposal Program is not a needle exchange program, but for disposal only at no cost and in confidence.

If you need to dispose of sharps, place them into a hard plastic or metal container with a screw-on, snap-on or other tight-fitting lid and secure the lid with heavy tape. Used liquid detergent bottles and paint cans are just two examples of the types of containers that work best. Return to DOH-Manatee and we will offer anyone who delivers sharps to personnel at either location a brand-new, bright orange sharps container at no cost.

Sharps containers are collected during regular business hours only. For safety and security, members of the public are asked not to leave sharps containers outside doors and buildings after regular business hours. Locations include:

• DOH-Manatee’s Environmental Health Division, Main Campus, 410 Sixth Avenue East, Bradenton
• Manatee South Center, 7880 Westmoreland Dr. (intersection of US41 and Westmoreland), Bradenton

For more information, call 941-748-0747.