Many Charlotte County residents use needles or lancets at home to manage medical conditions such as diabetes. Used sharps can cause injury and spread disease if they are not disposed of properly.
The Charlotte County Sharps Disposal Program provides a safe, free, and responsible way for residents to dispose of home-generated sharps only. Sharps are medical items that can puncture or cut skin, including needles and lancets. Once used, they are considered hazardous medical waste and must be handled carefully.
- Hypodermic needles
- Intravenous needles and syringes
- Lancets
- Other approved sharps used for at-home medical care
- Prescription medications
- Pills, liquids, or patches
- “Red bag” or other biomedical waste
Prescription medications should be disposed of at Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office buildings during approved medication drop-off times.
Sharps Container Pickup and Drop-Off Locations
Residents may pick up a free sharps container and drop off a full one at the locations below. This program is for residents only. Businesses are not eligible.
Charlotte County Fire Station 9
- Open 7 days a week
- 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- This is the only fire station participating
Additional Disposal Locations
19765 Kenilworth Blvd., Port Charlotte
- Tuesday – Saturday
- 9 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
7070 Environmental Way, Englewood
- Tuesday – Saturday
- 9 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
1410 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda
- 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Available to City of Punta Gorda residents only
Need assistance or transportation? Call 941-764-4360.
- Protects residents, workers, and animals from needle injuries
- Keeps sharps out of household trash and recycling
- Reduces the spread of infectious disease
- Prevents reuse or sharing of needles
- Provides convenient, local disposal options
- Supports environmentally responsible waste handling
Follow these steps to ensure safe handling and disposal:
- Do not clip needles
- Do not recap needles
- Place needles and lancets directly into the sharps container
- Do not overfill the container
- Take the full container to Fire Station 9 or an approved location
- Receive a free replacement container when you drop one off
- This program accepts sharps only
- Prescription medications are not accepted at these locations
- No “red bag” or other biomedical waste will be accepted
- For disposal of other bio-hazardous waste, please contact your medical provider
- Always keep sharps containers out of the reach of children
- Never place sharps or sharps containers in household trash or recycling