Arcadia, CA Public Health Rules: Syringe Disposal (2026)

Section 5602.6 of the Arcadia Municipal Code adds Sections 11.16.070.1 through 11.16.070.3 to the Health Code. Section 11.16.070.1 forbids any person to dispose of, leave or discard outside of the portion of a building in his possession any container, bottle, syringe, hypodermic needle, hypodermic syringe or needle designed for or used in dispensing, giving or injecting medicine, along with drugs and poisons as defined in the Business and Professions Code, and any bandage, dressing or gauze used in treating or caring for an infectious disease. The section defines medicine to include drugs intended for the diagnosis, care, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease in humans or animals.

Section 11.16.070.2 then prescribes the disposal methods. Fluid and soft wastes that can go through the sanitary sewer must be disposed of that way (§ 11.16.070.2.1). Solid containers that hold or held medicines must go into waste containers with a solid lid or door fastened by a padlock or similar locking device, or into enclosed covered trash containers inside an enclosed, roofed trash enclosure whose only entry is a locked door. The lock stays under the exclusive control of the person placing materials inside and remains locked except while materials are placed in or collected by an authorized person (§ 11.16.070.2.2). Used bandages, dressings, gauze and tongue depressors must be securely wrapped, placed in heavy waxed paper or plastic bags closed by tying or stapling, and put in metal trash cans with overlapping, fly-tight lids (§ 11.16.070.2.3).

For syringes and needles, § 11.16.070.2.4 requires the locked-container method of § 11.16.070.2.2, or the bagged-waste method if the contents are first entirely removed, the needles broken, and the syringe cut up by an approved method so it is unusable for any purpose. Under § 11.16.070.3, if these requirements conflict with State or County law, regulation or administrative practice, the more stringent one applies. Under § 5601.3 the Health Officer or Health Director is the City official, or the official of a public agency the City contracts with for enforcement.