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Safe Needle Disposal

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Needles and needle debris are a challenging issue for the City of Edmonton, however Edmonton is not alone. Strategies to ensure that individuals and communities are as safe and healthy as possible have been undertaken across the globe.

Needles are used by people with specific health conditions and people with specific addictions. Ensuring that people who use needles can access safe disposal and that stray needles and needle debris in the community are dealt with promptly and safely is one of the goals of Capital City Clean Up.

Needles on Public Property

Needle and needle debris found on public property is picked up by the City when reported to 311. 

Needles on Private Property

Needle and needle debris found on private property is the responsibility of the private property owner to collect and dispose of.

Handle Needles Safely on Private Property

  • Never put the cap back on a stray needle
  • Use gloves and tongs to pick up the needle
  • Place in a hard plastic container, tightly seal, and label "Used Needles"
  • Never put needles down the toilet, drain, sewer, or in the garbage

If you are not comfortable picking up the needle and need more information, see the Safe Needle Disposal Tool Kit.

Call a local biomedical waste disposal company nearest you for needle disposal if:

  • You are too nervous to pick the needle up
  • You see many needles in a pile, for example, in a stairwell or behind a dumpster
  • You see broken needles scattered on the ground
  • You have no way of taking the needle in a strong container to a safe place

Children should never pick up a needle. Leave it where it is and call an adult for help.

Choices for Disposing of Needles

Safe Needle Disposal Box

  • Any Safe Needle Disposal Box (see image)
  • Pharmacies that accept needles
  • Streetworks, a free needle exchange service for injection drug users with 15 sites and a mobile van
  • Capital City Clean Up will consider requests for placement of boxes in additional locations based on overall need, historical data collected based on reporting to 311 and public safety issues
  • City of Edmonton installs and empties public safe needle disposal boxes

Collection of needles on private property can be arranged by contacting a local biomedical waste disposal company.

Disposed needles from Streetworks and the needle boxes end up at Swan Hills, Alberta where they are incinerated.

"Over 2 million needles are exchanged through Streetworks annually."

Safe Needle Disposal Box Sites

AADAC Recovery Centre
In the alley behind the Detox Centre
10302 107 Street

Boyle McCauley Health Centre (front and rear)
In the front and alley behind the Health Centre
10628 96 Street

Boyle Street Community Services
10116 105 Avenue

George Spady Centre
Located in alley beside building
10015 105A Avenue

Herb Jamieson Centre (south east corner and west side)
10014 105 Avenue

Women's Emergency Accommodation Centre (WEAC)
In the parking lot next to WEAC
9611 101A Avenue

Bissell Thrift Store
8818 118 Avenue

Salvation Army
NW Corner parking lot
9611 - 101A Avenue

Boxes with Larger Openings for Larger Containers

Bissell Centre
10527 96 Street

Urban Manor
9524 104 Avenue

Giovanni Caboto Park
SW corner of Parks building facing 95 Street

Needle Exchange Sites

Boyle McCauley Health Centre
10628 96 Street
780-422-7333 Ext. 1

Boyle Street Community Service
10116 105 Avenue
780-424-4106

STD Centre
11111 Jasper Avenue
780-413-5158

HIV Edmonton
9702 111 Avenue
780-488 5742

"This is a safety issue. It's nothing personal. It doesn't matter if the person is a diabetic or an injection drug user. This is a health concern"

- Health Professional 

Related Documents

Safe Needle Disposal Kit

Important information on safe needle disposal practices.

For More Information

Capital City Clean Up

Telephone

To report litter, graffiti vandalism or discarded needles, dial 311 (or 780-442-5311)

For Capital City Clean Up program inquiries, call 311
Fax 780-498-7098
Email capitalcitycleanup@edmonton.ca

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