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Home Medical Waste
Hazards
- May infect other people who come in contact with trash.
-Unwanted or expired medicines of pharmaceuticals could be harmful to children or adults. Unused pharmaceuticals found in the trash may be stolen for unregulated use.
-Antibiotics poured down the drain can kill beneficial microbes and bacteria in septic systems.
Handling
-Keep Sharp objects such as needles, syringes, and lancelets in secure containers out of the reach of children. Do not use glass.
-Click here for Morris County specific issues related to medical waste.
Management Options / Disposal Options
-Please do not dispose of household medications and medical waste (lancets, needles, and syringes) in the garbage, recycling, nor bring them to the Department of Public Works yard. You will find safe syringe disposal information below.
-Morris Township Police Department's "Medication Return Box" located at the Police Department will accept your used and unwanted medications and medical waste(not syringes). For more information please see below.
-If you cannot dispose of unwanted medicines using disposal programs, you may place only medicines and/or drugs(not syringes) in the trash. Note: this is not the preferred method. If disposing of medicines in the trash, destroy(crush/pulverize) the medicine rendering it undesirable, tightly wrap and place in the trash. Click here to read NJDEP describing this technique of disposing old medicines in the trash. Do not flush medicines down the toilet or pour into the sink.
Morris Township Police Department has a "Medication Return Box" to dispose of all your expired, unwanted, or unused over-the-counter and prescription medications
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Medication Return Box Location
Physical Address
49 Woodland Avenue
Morristown, NJ 07960
| Approved Items | Non Approved Items |
| Prescription and Over-the-Counter | Needles(any type) |
| Medications | IV Bags |
| Vitamins | Personal Care Products |
| Medication Samples | Hydrogen Peroxide |
| Veterinary Medications | Inhalers |
| Narcotics | Thermometers and other mercury items |
| Empty Containers |
Safe Syringe Disposal for Morris Township
It is NEVER acceptable to throw syringes into curb side trash, even when it is placed in a heavy-duty plastic container. It should never be placed in the recycling can as well. Doing so places employees a risk as well as extensive additional costs to the town.
There are several ways to dispose of your syringe medical waste. You may participate in a hospital syringe program as listed below or you may contact a mail away vendor. These are the only proper ways to dispose of syringes.
Safe Syringe Disposal Programs in Morris County
- St. Clare's Hospital
(Dover and Denville Campuses)
Just drop off syringes at the front desk, but they must be in a sealed, hardened container. - Morristown Medical Center
973-971-4177 - Containers for syringes can be picked up or dropped off at the outpatient desk located on the right after going into the main entrance. Hours are M-F, 7:00am-7:00pm and Saturdays 7:00am-3:00pm. Syringes must be empty and syringe containers cannot be more than 3/4s full. - Chilton Memorial Hospital / Access Center (Pompton Plains)
People may pickup empty syringe containers and drop off full ones at the Access Center. All syringes must be in containers. Hours: M-F, 6:00am - 8:00pm and Saturdays 7:00am-3:00pm. - Note: in addition accepting sharps and/or syringes for disposal, these safe syringe disposal programs will also accept epi-pens for disposal as long as they are empty and packaged in hardened containers like sharps and syringes.
Other options for safe syringe disposal by mail. Contact vendors listed below:
MedPro Disposal- For household sharps disposal options visit MedPro mail, https://www.medprodisposal.com or call 886-641-6131.
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 & details at 877-WASTE-MD.