Home › Glossary › Sharps container
What is a sharps container?
Anything that can pierce skin — needles, syringes with needles attached, lancets. They go into a certified rigid sharps container (FDA-cleared in the US; BS 7320 or AS 4031 elsewhere), never loose into a bin. Disposal routes → Full explanation →
Why it matters when you shop
A puncture-proof, sealable box for used needles and syringes that pharmacies, councils and mail-back services will accept. Certified containers (FDA-cleared in the US, BS 7320 in the UK, AS 4031 in Australia) are what the take-back routes require; a coffee tin is not. Where it goes afterwards depends on the country; what it goes in does not.
What to look for on the listing
- A certification mark for your country, and a locking lid.
- Capacity that suits you: 1 quart / 1 litre for a handful a month, 5 litres for daily use.
- A prepaid mail-back version if there is no drop-off near you.
Go deeper
- Guide: How to dispose of a full sharps container
- Tool: Product Finder for this category
- All terms: the glossary
Products where this number appears
Reviewed 2026-09-03. Definitions describe equipment, not treatment. Affiliate links open your own country's Amazon store; your price is the same.