Needles and sharps
Needle and sharps cleanup
Used needles in a home, a rental after move-out, or a yard need careful handling and the right disposal. A call connects you with an independent cleanup company that can collect and remove them.
Lines answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Do not pick them up with bare hands
Leave needles where they are, keep children and pets away, and do not try to recap them. If you have to move one, use thick gloves and tongs and put it in a hard plastic container with a lid.
California law does not allow home-generated sharps in trash, recycling or green-waste bins. They have to travel in a sharps container to a household hazardous waste facility, a sharps collection point, or by an approved mail-back service. Source: Health and Safety Code 118286.
When there are many needles, or they are mixed into clutter, bedding or carpet, a cleanup company can search the area and collect them safely.
The work
What the company does
- Searches the area systematically, including furniture, bedding and corners.
- Collects needles and other sharps into puncture-proof containers.
- Cleans and disinfects surfaces with visible contamination.
- Disposes of the sharps through a proper channel.
Before you book
Questions to ask on the phone
You can ask any of these on the first call. A reputable company will answer them plainly.
- Are you registered with the California Department of Public Health as a trauma scene waste management practitioner?
- Will you give me a written price before work starts, and what could change it?
- Which materials do you expect to remove, and will you show me before you do?
- Can you work with my insurer or with a CalVCB claim by providing an itemized invoice and photos?
- How will the waste leave the home, and where does it go?
- Can I keep personal items or papers that are set aside during the work?
Questions
Needles and sharps: common questions
I was stuck by a needle. What should I do?
Wash the area with soap and water and contact a doctor, urgent care or an emergency room right away. Do not wait for the cleanup.
Can landlords call about a vacated unit?
Yes. Needles found after a tenant leaves are a common reason to call. See the guide for landlords.
What about needles in a public place?
On public property, contact the city or the property manager. This service is for private homes and businesses.
Other situations
Other cleanup situations
- Crime Scene CleanupAfter a homicide, assault or other violent event, once police have released the scene.
- Unattended Death CleanupWhen someone died alone and was not found right away. Includes odor and decomposition cleanup.
- Suicide CleanupQuiet, discreet cleanup after a suicide, so family members do not have to do it.
- Blood and Bodily Fluid CleanupAfter an injury, a fall, an accident or a serious illness at home.
- Hoarding Cleanup with BiohazardsWhen a hoarded home has animal or human waste, needles or rotting food in it.
- Infectious Disease DisinfectionCleaning and disinfection after illness or contamination with infectious material.
- Vehicle Biohazard CleanupBlood or bodily fluids in a car, truck or van after an injury, death or crime.
When you are ready
One call to a cleanup company that serves Stockton
Say what happened, where, and roughly when. The company will ask a few questions, explain what the work involves and arrange a visit if you want one.
Talk to a biohazard cleanup company
Your call is connected with an independent cleanup company that works in Stockton and San Joaquin County. You can ask questions first. There is no obligation to book.
Call (209) 555-0161Lines answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded. Read the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.