Disposal of sharps (e.g., needles and syringes) falls under specific medical waste regulations defined by the EPA. Students at OSU who use sharps for medical reasons are required to dispose of those sharps in accordance with those regulations and the campus sharps program. Students should know about use and disposal guidelines of personal-use needles and syringes. 

  • Students using needles and syringes who live in university-owned housing may participate in the campus sharps disposal program.
  • Students who live in private housing are not eligible to participate in the campus sharps disposal program. (See section below for disposal resources.)
  • In all situations, needles should be handled and disposed of in a manner that protects other household members, building service workers, waste handlers, and the general public from accidental needlesticks.

Questions? Contact SHS lab at 541-737-7550

University-owned housing

If you reside in any of the following facilities and need to dispose of needles and/or syringes, you should participate in the campus sharps program:

  • Bloss
  • Buxton
  • Callahan
  • Cauthorn
  • Dixion Lodge
  • Finley
  • Halsell
  • Hawley
  • ILLC
  • McNary
  • Orchard Court Family Housing
  • Poling
  • Sackett
  • Tebeau
  • The Gem
  • Weatherford
  • West
  • Wilson

Participation in the campus sharps program

Participation in the program is easy, and waste containers are free: 

  • Pick up an approved 1-quart sharps disposal container from Student Health Services (laboratory, first floor in the Health Center).
  • Place needles and/or syringes into the container immediately following use. 
  • Do not fill above the line on the container (the fill line). Do not force sharps into the container.
  • When full, lock the lid in place and return the container to Student Health Services (laboratory, first floor in the Health Center).

Sharps disposal containers are only for items defined as sharps. Other waste such as Band-Aids or Kleenex should be disposed of in the regular trash. 

Disposal of needles and syringes from private housing

Search by zip code for locations on where to dispose of and locate containers near you. https://safeneedledisposal.org/states/oregon/

Contacts for disposal of sharps from private housing:

Pill Box Health Center Container Exchange Program

906 NW Kings Blvd

Corvallis, OR 97330

541-258-8070

Philomath Family Pharmacy

1640 Main St

Philomath, OR 97370

541-929-2880

Samaritan Pharmacy-Corvallis

3521 NW Samaritan Dr

Corvallis, OR 97330

541-768-5225

Rice’s Pharmacy

910 NW Kings Blvd

Corvallis, OR 97330

541-752-7779

Elm Street Pharmacy

1010 7th Ave SW

Albany, OR 97321

541-812-5071

  

Medication Disposal

The best way to dispose of unused or expired medications is to drop off the medicine at a drug take back site, location, or program immediately. More information on safe disposal can be found on the FDA website.  

  • OSU Department of Public Safety drop box (2nd floor of Cascades Hall)
  • Philomath Police Department drop box (1010 Applegate Street) 
  • Albany Policy Department (1117 Jackson St., NE)
  • Annual drug take-back events in April and October