• There are laws for biomedical waste disposal in Florida.needle image by Zbigniew Nowak from Fotolia.com
  
  People who must use needles and syringes must also deal with the problems of disposal. Because used needles and syringes can be a health threat, potentially causing accidental needle sticks that can result in transmission of diseases, there are many regulations to ensure safe and effective methods for needle disposal. Florida, like other states, has its own laws and regulations regarding needle and syringe disposal.
  
  

County Programs

• Florida has programs and departments on a county-by-county basis to ensure that the majority of people in the state have a place to properly dispose biomedical waste. Each county has its own methods by which residents can dispose syringes. For the Florida counties which lack these programs, the state has a fall-back set of regulations for residents.
  
  

Counties without Programs

• For Florida residents who reside in counties without medical waste disposal programs, there are several steps that they are advised to take prior to home disposal techniques. These techniques will ensure that the waste gets into the hands of trained individuals that are equipped to handle the disposal process. First, residents are encouraged to contact and consult with a health care professional, who can potentially accept waste within the facility's biomedical waste disposal system. Another option is to contact the U.S. Postal Service, which has a list of approved biomedical waste mail-in services. When using a mail-in service, you place the waste into containers and send the containers to treatment facilities.
  
  

Self-Disposal

• The final option for residents of Florida--those who lack the necessary means by which to dispose of syringes and sharps--is self-disposal. Self-disposal requires that any sharp biomedical waste be placed within a hard plastic or metal container. This container should have a secured lid, such as one that screws on. The top should then be reinforced with heavy-duty tape. Clear containers should not be used and disposal procedures vary from county to county. Residents are required to check with the appropriate county officials.