Many community residents have medical conditions, particularly diabetes, that require self-injections at home. Because of issues regarding safety and disease transmission, the disposal of home-generated needles, syringes and lancets (or “sharps”) has caused some concern on the part of families, refuse services, recycling staffs and landfills.

The Lee County Sharps Disposal Program was implemented to:

  • Help you properly dispose of your needles and lancets 
  • Provide an environmentally safe option for disposing of sharps 
  • Prevent injury to humans and animals 
  • Keep sharps out of household trash and recycling bins 
  • Provide the public with local collection sites for home generated needles and lancets 
  • Prevent the spread of infectious disease 
  • Remove used needles from circulation and prevent the sharing of needles

Once you use a syringe, needle, lancet, or other “sharp”, it becomes a potentially hazardous medical waste product. That is why it’s important to dispose of “sharps” the right way.

Unattended Sharps Disposal Sites 

Alva Fire District
2660 Styles Road		Fort Myers Shores Fire
12345 Palm Beach Blvd
Bayshore Fire Dept
17350 Nalle Road		Iona-McGregor Fire Dept
16551 McGregor Blvd
15961 Winkler Road
5401 Winkler Road
6061 S Point Blvd
15660 Pine Ridge Road
Bonita Springs Fire Dept
28055 Mango Drive
27701 Bonita Grande Drive
25001 S Tamiami Trail		Lee Co Health Dept
83 Pondella Road
3920 Michigan Ave.
Boca Grande
360 East Railroad Ave.		Lehigh Acres Fire Dept
636 Thomas Sherwin Ave. S
3102 16th St. SW
Cape Coral Fire Dept
4610 Coronado Blvd
1029 Diplomat Pkwy
3623 W Gator Circle
4540 S Chiquita Blvd
4107 Pelican Blvd
1627 Everest Pkwy
2007 Santa Barbara Blvd
701 Nicholas Pkwy
707 SW 1st St.
3942 Burnt Store Road
1038 Burnt Store Road		Matlacha-Pine Island Fire
5700 Pine Island Road
5015 Stringfellow Road
14861 Stringfellow Road
Captiva
14981 Captiva Drive		North Ft. Myers Fire Dept
1280 Barrett Road
16290 Slater Road
2900 Trail Dairy Circle
Upper Captiva
4511 Hodgepodge Lane		San Carlos Fire Dept
19591 Ben Hill Griffin Pkwy
8013 Sanibel Blvd
16901 Island Park Road
Estero Fire Rescue Service
8631 Country Road Station
1 21300 Firehouse Lane
8005 Sweetwater Ranch Blvd
21500 Three Oaks Parkway		Sanibel Fire and Rescue
2351 Palm Ridge Road
5171 Sanibel/Captiva Roa
Fort Myers Beach Fire
3043 Estero Blvd
17891 San Carlos Blvd
121 Lennel Road		South Trail Fire District
2100 Crystal Drive
9450 Daniels Pkwy
5531 Halifax Ave.
12780 Commonwealth Drive
Fort Myers Fire Dept
2404 Dr. Martin Luther King
1915 Jefferson
4520 Cummins Court
9700 East Treeline
1035 Terry St.
4000 Veronica Shoemaker		Tice Fire Dept
5850 Buckingham Road
9351 Workmen Way

How does the Lee County Program Work?

You may go to any fire station or health department site in Lee County pick up your initial used sharps container (red box)

  1. After normal injections or blood test, dispose of sharps into the box. Do not clip or recap the needle. 
  2. Do not attempt to retrieve sharps after they have been placed in the box. 
  3. Do not overfill the sharps box. When the box is filled, use the locking mechanism on the lid to secure it. Place strips of adhesive tape across the top of box. 
  4. Return the sealed container to any fire station drop-off site, exchange it for a new one and repeat the process.

When dropping off the filled container, always give the sharps box to authorized personnel. Never leave a sharps box unattended. If no one is available at the fire station, DO NOT leave your sharps box because it could get into the wrong hands.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

  • Always keep sharps boxes out of the reach of children. 
  • Place your used syringes into the sharps container immediately after use. Never leave them lying around. 
  • Never put any container with a biohazard symbol into your trash. These containers MUST be returned to an approved disposal site. 
  • Do not overfill or cram needles into your sharps container. They are only puncture resistant not puncture proof. 
  • This is a FREE program for private individuals in Lee County who give themselves or a family member injections. Health care professionals and other business are regulated separately, and are not a part of this program.

Resources