The FDA collaborated with Kwikpoint under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to develop free, publicly available visual learning guides to help educate patients and caregivers on how to safely dispose of sharps and other needles.

The visual learning guides are designed to remove literacy and language barriers by conveying directions for safe sharps disposal through images, graphics, and minimal texts. The visual learning guides aim to improve understanding, promote greater recall, and deliver universal safe sharps disposal information. The visual learning guides aim to improve understanding and promote greater recall by delivering universal safe sharps disposal information. 

According to the Coalition for Safe Community Needle Disposal, the majority of sharps are discarded into the public solid waste system, posing a risk of injury and infection to anyone who encounters them. The links below are quick-guides, labels, and posters that use imagery to teach people how to properly dispose of sharps.

Be Smart with Sharps Pamphlet

Safe Sharps Disposal Label (For Garbage Container)

Safe Sharps Disposal Label (For Recycling Container)

Safe Sharps Disposal Medication Insert

Sharps Container Poster

For more information about safe sharps disposal, visit www.fda.gov/safesharpsdisposal.

For more information about the “Be Smart with Sharps” campaign, visit www.besmartwithsharps.com.