Does Salt Lake City, UT have its own syringe disposal ordinance?

No. Salt Lake City, UT does not appear to have a local syringe disposal ordinance, Utah state law applies instead. The rules summarized on this page come from Utah Legislature.

Key Facts Ordinance Text Full Breakdown Violations FAQ Sources More in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT Public Health Rules: Syringe Disposal (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section: § 9.08.110(I)
Sharps defined at: § 9.08.010
Infectious-waste exception: excludes sharps, § 9.08.100(B)
Enforcement: civil violation, chapter 2.75

Summary

Sharps -- needles, syringes, lancets, and scalpel blades -- may never be set out in a container or otherwise for the city's refuse service to collect; residents have to route them through another disposal channel entirely.

This section shall apply only to collections made by a service provider. The following materials require special handling and disposal, and shall not be set out for collection by a service provider, whether placed in a container or otherwise: A. Flammable, corrosive, or explosive materials; B. Hazardous or radioactive waste; ... I. Sharps; J. Electronic waste; K. Sludge; L. Waste tires.

Source: Utah LegislatureView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).

Full Breakdown

City Code § 9.08.110 lists sharps among the materials the refuse service will not pick up, whether bagged or loose, alongside hazardous waste, sewage, and dead animals. § 9.08.010 defines sharps broadly -- needles, syringes, IV tubing with needles attached, lancets, scalpel blades, and any other discarded item that can puncture or cut. The narrower infectious-waste allowance in § 9.08.100(B), which lets bagged infectious waste ride in the regular cart under a 25-pound monthly cap, expressly excludes sharps, so there is no curbside option even in small quantities.

Violations & Fines

Setting out sharps for city collection is a civil violation of chapter 9.08, handled through chapter 2.75's civil-penalty process rather than the criminal code; the chapter's listed dollar penalties apply to other sections, not this one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put a used syringe in my recycling or trash cart?

No. City Code § 9.08.110 lists sharps among items the refuse service will never collect, in a container or loose, so they can't go in refuse or recycling carts.

Does the city's infectious-waste allowance cover needles?

No. § 9.08.100(B) lets bagged infectious waste into the regular cart under a 25-pound monthly cap, but that subsection specifically excludes sharps from the allowance.

Sources & Official References

[1]Salt Lake City Code § 9.08.110 (American Legal Publishing)

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