California law and San Bernardino County Solid Waste rules prohibit loose syringes and sharps in household trash; residents must use FDA-cleared sharps containers and approved drop-off sites.
Under California SB 1305 and Public Resources Code 118286, home-generated sharps cannot enter curbside trash or recycling bins. San Bernardino County Public Health and Solid Waste Management run free drop-off locations at Mid-Valley Sanitary Landfill and several Household Hazardous Waste facilities across the desert and Inland Empire. Pharmacies enrolled in the state mail-back program also accept sealed containers. Improper disposal endangers waste workers and triggers contamination at material recovery facilities.
Placing loose needles in trash carts can result in citations, mandatory cleanup, and fines under the California Medical Waste Management Act up to 1000 dollars.
See how San Bernardino's syringe disposal rules stack up against other locations.
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