Sharps Collection Program
Our Sharps Collection Program is essential for maintaining the safety and health of the city by offering a secure disposal method for "sharps" such as needles, syringes, and lancets. The program ensures prompt removal of sharps from public property within 24 hours and provides accessible sharps disposal boxes throughout the city. Residents can safely and efficiently dispose of sharps, minimizing the risk of injury or illness for the public and sanitation workers.
There are currently 23 sharps disposal boxes located across the city.
Reporting sharps for removal from public property
If you:
- find a syringe on public property (sidewalks, parking strips, streets, other public rights-of-way, or on the grounds of City facilities)
- find a locked or jammed needle disposal box
- need curbside needle pick up at your Seattle home or business
Please report it to:
- SPU illegal dumping hotline: (206) 684-7587 (option 4)
- Use the reporting online form for illegal dumping
- Use the Find it, Fix it smartphone app. Please see our video instructions on how to use the Find It, Fix It App to report needles.
Where to dispose of sharps
Sharps are not allowed in the garbage in Seattle because they can injure residents, garbage collection workers, and other employees that handle the garbage. Always use a designated sharps disposal container for used sharps. View the map below or download a PDF map of all drop-off locations.
Secure sharps disposal box locations
Two types of sharps disposal box locations are listed below.
Large, mailbox-sized bins available outdoors, 24/7:
(for disposal of containers up to 2 liters)
- Airport Way S
1855 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98134
Needle box is located on Airport Way S just North of S Holgate Street. - Albert Davis Park
12526 27th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
Needle box is located on the sidewalk on 27th Ave NE at the park's North end. - Ballard Brewery District
4660 Leary Way NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Needle box is located at Leary Way NW between NW Ballard Way & 9th Ave NW. - Bitter Lake Playfield
13035 Linden Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133
Needle box is located at the South end of the community center. - Cal Anderson Park
635 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Needle box is located near the restrooms in the middle of the park. - Freeway Park
700 Seneca St, Seattle, WA 98101
Needle box is located up the park stairs at Hubbell Place & University Street. - Fremont Canal Park
199 N Canal St, Seattle, WA 98107
Needle box is located on the trail within the park, West of 2nd Ave NW. - Georgetown Playfield
750 S Homer St, Seattle, WA 98108
Needle box is located off S Homer Street near the restrooms. - International District
1004 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104
Needle box is located on the path from W Roy Street. - Lower Kinnear Park Tennis Courts
700 W Roy, Seattle, WA 98119
Needle box is located on the path from W Roy Street. - Mineral Springs Park
1735 N 107th St, Seattle, WA 98133
Needle box is located at Northgate Way & 107th Street. - Mt. Baker
2690 S Winthrop St, Seattle, WA 98144
Needle box is located at 27th Ave S & S Winthrop Street in the center median. - N 89th St & Aurora Ave N
8821 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Needle box is located at the Southwest corner of the intersection. - Othello Park
4351 S Othello St, Seattle, WA 98118
Needle box is located on 45th Ave S side of park near restrooms. - Rainier Ave S & I-90 Trail
1199 Hiawatha Pl S, Seattle, WA 98144
Needle box is located on the trail near Hiawatha Place S & S Bush Place. - Ravenna Park
Cowen PL NE & 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115
Needle box is located on 15th Ave NE at the South end of the Cowen Park bridge. - Roxhill Park
9250 29th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126
Needle box is located off 29th Ave SW near the restrooms. - SODO
Utah Ave S & S Holgate St, Seattle, WA 98134
Needle box located at Utah Ave S & S Holgate Street. - U-District
NE 47th St & Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Needle Box is located near NE 47th Street & Brooklyn Ave NE on South side of the street.
Smaller disposal bins:
(for disposal of single sharps only)
- Ballard Commons Park
5701 22nd Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Needle box is located on a pole at 22nd Ave NW & NW 57th Street. - Denny Park, middle of the park
100 Dexter Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Needle box is located on a light pole on the path from Dexter Ave & John St.
Disposal box locations are distributed across all geographic sectors of Seattle. These include areas where reports of sharps on public property have been relatively high and in visible areas where space is available on public property.
Other sharps disposal locations
In addition to the city-wide disposal boxes, sharps can be disposed at:
- North or South transfer stations (Note: Sharps disposed at the transfer stations must be put in a puncture resistant container with tight fitting lid such as a plastic bottle. See sharps handling instructions below.
- Needle exchanges
Removing sharps found on private property
Please see our video on how to pick up sharps safely.
If you find a syringe on private property, do not pick it up with your bare hands. Follow the sharps handling instructions below. If you are unsure if the item you are reporting is on public property, call the Customer Service Bureau, (206) 684-2489 (CITY), for more information.
Sharps handling instructions
- Do not pick them up with your bare hands. Use a glove and tongs, shovel, or broom and dustpan.
- Place used sharps and syringes in a manufactured sharps container (purchase at pharmacies) or a 2-liter plastic soda pop bottle. Make sure the lid fits tightly and tape it shut. If you use a plastic pop bottle, label it: "SHARPS, DO NOT RECYCLE."
- Do not break the needle off from the syringe. If the needle gets broken off from a syringe you have personally used, pull the plunger out of the barrel, put the needle in the barrel, and then replace the plunger.
- Do not put sharps in the garbage. See the disposal options above.