Home Generated Medical Waste

Improper management of discarded needles and other sharps can pose a health risk to recycling and waste workers. For example, discarded needles may expose recycling and waste workers to potential needle stick injuries and potential infection when containers break open inside garbage trucks or needles are mistakenly sent to recycling facilities. Janitors and housekeepers also risk injury if loose sharps poke through plastic garbage bags. Used needles can transmit serious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis.

Many hospitals in and around Somerset County participate in the New Jersey Hospital Association's Safe Syringe Program. Hospitals provide sharps containers to the home generators that the generator returns to the hospitals when the container is full. Contact the hospitals listed below for further information.

St. Peter's Hospital - New Brunswick 732-745-8600 ext. 8282 Safe Syringe Program	Somerset Medical Center - Somerville 908-685-2200 ext. 3258 Safe Syringe Program
Princeton Medical Center-Princeton 908-788-6100 ext. 6136 Joan Gillard	Hunterdon Medical Center - Flemington 908-788-6100 ext. 6136 Diabetic Department

Additional information about the Safe Syringe Disposal Program may be obtained by contacting:

New Jersey Hospital Association
760 Alexander Road
Princeton, NJ 08543
609-273-4058

NOTE: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD NEEDLES EVER BE PUT IN ANY TYPE OF CONTAINER AND PLACE OUT FOR RECYCLING COLLECTIONS. THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS TO ALL PERSONNEL HANDLING RECYCLING COLLECTIONS. DO NOT BRING NEEDLES TO HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTIONS!

Waste MAnagement, a waste hauling company has a "Sharps Disposal by Mail" program. Participants are provided with an approved disposal container and mail full containers for disposal using US POstal Service. Interested parties can call Waste Management for prices and details at 877-WASTE-MD.