Boston, MA Public Health Rules: Syringe Disposal (2026)

Chapter 12-16, the Safe Sharps Disposal Program, was adopted by Ordinance 2020 c. 4 to keep used hypodermic needles, pen needles, IV needles and lancets out of household trash and public spaces. 2 to exclude institutional pharmacies and independent chains with fewer than four city locations, must establish a collection system with kiosks or another secure means of collection on-site, in a visible, accessible location, or substitute a free mail-back program where the pharmacy is enclosed inside another retail entity. Pharmacy chains may instead submit an alternative citywide proposal to the Inspectional Services Department, in consultation with the Boston Public Health Commission, that yields an equal number of collection sites distributed with input from neighborhood quality-of-life advocates.

Pharmacies must secure the collection process, train staff, conduct patron outreach at the point of sale, and report vendor information plus annual collection-volume data to the Department. 3(B) bars pharmacies from charging any point-of-sale or point-of-collection fee to recoup program costs. S. DOT standards and display the international biohazard symbol. c. 94C § 27A for the underlying disposal standards.