Valencia County, NM Public Health Rules: Syringe Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- §§ 50.05, 50.10(A)
- Sharps classification
- Infectious waste, not trash
- Container ban
- No sharps in solid waste carts
- Cost of disposal
- Borne by the waste generator
- Enforcement
- Code Enforcement Officer, Sheriff deputies (§ 50.26)
- Default penalty
- Up to $300/day (§ 50.99(C)(3))
Summary
Unincorporated Valencia County treats used needles and other sharps as infectious waste, not household trash. County Code § 50.10(A) bars waste contaminated by infectious material from solid waste containers, while § 50.05 specifically defines used hypodermic needles, syringes and scalpel blades as infectious waste. Residents must arrange disposal through an approved method at their own cost; the code sets no needle-exchange or harm-reduction siting rule.
INFECTIOUS WASTE. A limited class of substances that carry a probable risk of transmitting disease to humans, including but not limited to: ... (e) Used sharps, including used hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpel blades, Pasteur pipettes and broken glass; and ... (A) No poisons, acids, caustics, chemicals, waste contaminated by infectious diseases, radioactive waste, dead animals, live pests, rocks, sand, dirt, construction and demolition debris, toxic, highly flammable or explosive materials shall be placed in solid waste containers. Such waste shall be disposed of in accordance with any applicable county, state and federal laws or regulations, at the expense of the person accumulating such waste.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 50 of the Valencia County Code governs solid waste in the unincorporated county, outside Los Lunas, Belen, Bosque Farms, Peralta and Rio Communities. 05 defines INFECTIOUS WASTE as a limited class of substances that carry a probable risk of transmitting disease to humans, and lists used sharps, including used hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpel blades, Pasteur pipettes and broken glass, among the examples, alongside pathological waste, contaminated blood products and microbiological laboratory waste. 10(A) folds that category into the chapter's general container ban: waste contaminated by infectious diseases may not be placed in a solid waste container, alongside poisons, acids, radioactive waste, or construction debris.
The generator must instead dispose of the material in accordance with applicable county, state and federal laws, at their own expense. The chapter does not authorize or site a needle-exchange or syringe take-back program; it only addresses how sharps may not leave a household in the trash. 26, who may enter a property to investigate a complaint but need a warrant if the owner objects. 16(C) lets the county deny pickup to a nonconforming container.
Violations & Fines
Mixing used syringes or other infectious waste into a curbside cart violates § 50.10(A). Because sharps are not separately scheduled in § 50.99's fine table, a violation defaults to the chapter's catch-all penalty under § 50.99(C)(3): a petty misdemeanor punishable by up to $300 for each day the violation continues, plus up to 90 days in jail under § 50.99(C). The county may also seek injunctive relief under § 50.21 if improperly discarded sharps create a health hazard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I throw away used needles in my regular trash can in Valencia County?
Does Valencia County run a needle exchange or sharps take-back site?
Who enforces the sharps disposal ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Valencia County
Compare Valencia County to another location·View the New Mexico public health rules overview
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