Roseville, CA Public Health Rules: Syringe Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Disposal deadline
- Immediately after first use
- Required container
- FDA-approved sharps container
- Banned disposal
- Trash, recycling, sink or toilet
- Program siting buffer
- 600 feet from schools, parks, libraries
- Penalty
- Citation, infraction or misdemeanor
Summary
Roseville requires every used syringe or sharp to go straight into an FDA-approved sharps container after its first use, under Municipal Code §9.90.050. Dumping sharps in household trash, recycling, sinks or toilets is unlawful, as is leaving used sharps anywhere a person could come into contact with them; disposal must also track state Health and Safety Code §118275.
A. Each syringe or sharps used in any way for the injection of a substance into the body shall be disposed of and secured in a sharps container immediately after its first use. B. All disposal of sharps and sharps containers shall comply with California Health and Safety Code Section 118275 et seq., as may be amended from time to time, and Roseville Municipal Code Section 9.12.150, as may be amended from time to time. C. It is unlawful for any participant or person to leave any used sharps or syringe in any location, place, or manner such that the sharps or syringe is able to come into contact with any other person. D. It is unlawful for any participant or person to discard or otherwise dispose of any used sharps or syringe in any garbage receptacle, recycling receptacle, sink, toilet, or any other bin or receptacle that is not specifically designed for disposal of used sharps and syringes.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 9.90, adopted by Ordinance 6717 in September 2023 and amended by Ordinance 6728 that October, regulates syringe exchange programs and sets citywide sharps-disposal rules. Section 9.90.050 requires that each syringe or sharp used to inject a substance into the body be disposed of and secured in a sharps container immediately after its first use, and ties disposal to both state law (Health and Safety Code §118275 et seq.) and the city's own medical-waste rule at RMC §9.12.150.
The section separately bans two specific acts: leaving a used sharp or syringe anywhere it could come into contact with another person, and discarding a used sharp in a garbage can, recycling bin, sink, toilet, or any receptacle not built for sharps disposal. A "sharps container" is defined in §9.90.020 as a puncture-resistant, leak-resistant, FDA-approved medical device with a tight-fitting lid.
The disposal rule sits inside a broader chapter that first bans any unauthorized syringe exchange program outright (§9.90.030) and then, for a program approved by the California Department of Public Health under Health and Safety Code §121349, layers on siting and operating limits: no exchange activity within 600 feet of a school, day care, playground, public park, community center or library unless it happens at a private residence with a valid street address, no syringes to participants under 18 without a parent present, and no re-supply to a participant staff knows has been dumping sharps improperly (§9.90.040).
Violations & Fines
Improper sharps disposal, and operating an unauthorized syringe exchange program, are each declared a public nuisance under §9.90.060 that the city may abate by any available means. Violating any provision of Chapter 9.90, including the disposal rules in §9.90.050, may be charged as an administrative citation, an infraction, or a misdemeanor, at the discretion of the city attorney (§9.90.070).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I legally throw away a used needle in Roseville?
Is it illegal to run a needle exchange in Roseville without state approval?
How close to a school can a Roseville syringe exchange program operate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roseville
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