Philadelphia, PA Public Health Rules: Syringe Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Designated site
- 265 E. Lehigh Avenue
- Overnight alternate
- Allegheny Ave, 11pm-6am
- Permit term
- 12 months, renewable
- Max fine
- $1,000 per violation
- Applies to
- Seventh Councilmanic District only
Summary
Mobile medical providers, including needle-exchange and overdose-response teams, operating in the Seventh Councilmanic District may work only at 265 E. Lehigh Avenue or a City-designated site, plus a narrow overnight window on Allegheny Avenue.
Provision of mobile medical services in the Seventh Councilmanic District, except at the following times and locations: (a) At 265 E. Lehigh Avenue or such other location as is designated by the City for the provision of mobile medical services during hours specified by the City; and (b) Between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., on E. Allegheny Avenue between Kensington Avenue and F Street.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 Code: Electronic version of The Philadelphia Code and Home Rule Charter is current through August 19, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 10-2800, adopted in 2025 to address the Kensington fentanyl crisis, requires a City permit before any vehicle can provide mobile medical services - a category covering needle-exchange, emergency overdose response, and infectious-disease response operations - in the Seventh Councilmanic District. A permit issues only if the provider stocks sharps containers and other safety materials and, where medical services are involved, has a licensed health care practitioner supervising. Outside those permitted terms, providers may operate solely at 265 E. Lehigh Avenue or a City-designated alternate site, with a separate overnight allowance on a defined stretch of Allegheny Avenue. Permits run 12 months and are not renewed after three violations in that period.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a permit, or providing mobile medical/non-medical services outside the designated site and hours, is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 per violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Philadelphia ban needle-exchange programs?
Must mobile needle-exchange vans carry sharps containers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Philadelphia
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