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Needles and sharps
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In Calgary, put this in the
Special handling
Place in an approved sharps container and return it to a pharmacy — never in any cart.
Also searched as: needles, syringes, sharps.
Why it can’t go in a cart
A loose needle in a garbage bag is a serious injury and infection risk for collection and sorting staff — sharps in carts are one of the waste industry’s most dangerous contaminants. Pharmacy take-back keeps the entire chain safe.
Get it right
- Pharmacies provide approved sharps containers, often free, and accept full ones back.
- Never use a pop bottle or jar as a sharps container for disposal — only approved puncture-proof containers are accepted.
- This includes EpiPens, insulin pens, and lancets.
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Know your pickup days too
Look up your black, blue and green cart collection schedule by address.
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