Republic Sharps - FAQ | Sharps Disposal Service

What can I dispose of in the Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kits?
Any contaminated sharp instrument can be disposed of in the container.

Examples of acceptable items include the following:

Needles and syringes
Razor blades
Orthodontic wires
Scalpel blades and lancets
Glass pipettes, slides and tubes
Broken, contaminated glass
Staples and wires (cardio-catheter wires)
Disposable suture sets and biopsy forceps
Electrocautery tips

Examples of items which cannot be accepted include:

Blood or other bodily fluid
Medication/pharmaceutical waste
Canisters, inhalers or aerosols
Hazardous or chemical waste
Soft waste (e.g., gloves, gauze, tubing, etc.)
Fixatives and preservatives

Why can't needles and syringes be thrown into the trash?
Improper disposal of medical sharps (e.g., loosely disposing medical sharps directly into the trash) places your family, friends, trash haulers, landfill employees, pets and wild animals at risk of infection and/or physical injury from needle sticks. Infectious waste can be capable of transmitting disease to anyone who comes into contact with it. Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kits are all-inclusive and provide the customer with all necessary components required for the collection, transportation and disposal of used medical items.

What do the Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kits include?
Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kits are all inclusive and provide our customers with all necessary components required for the collection, transportation and disposal of used medical sharps.

Each kit includes the following:

Detailed instructions for safe sharps disposal
Postal authorized return box and liner
Sharps disposal container
Pre-paid return postage
Safe and proper disposal
Disposal tracking documents

Are there any additional or hidden costs after the Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit is purchased?
There are no additional costs for tax or postage. All kits are all-inclusive and provide our customers with all necessary components required for the collection, transportation and disposal of medical sharps.

When will my order be shipped?
Your order will be shipped to the address you provided within one to three business days from the date your order was placed. A shipment tracking number will be sent to the email address you provided when you placed your order. Once your order has shipped, your tracking number can also be viewed by logging into your Republic Sharps online store customer account, or by contacting our Customer Service department at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com.

Can I cancel an order after I have checked out?
Once you have completed the checkout process and your item has shipped, all orders are final. You can check your order status by logging into your Republic Sharps online store customer account or by contacting our Customer Service department at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com. If your order has not shipped, please contact our Customer Service department for assistance with your request at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com.

What is you’re the refund policy? Can I request a refund after I have checked out?
Once you have completed the checkout process and your item has shipped, all orders are final. Refunds will not be issued after the item purchased has been shipped. You can check your order status by logging into your Republic Sharps online store customer account or by contacting our Customer Service department at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com. If your order has not shipped, please contact our Customer Service department for assistance with your request at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com.

How do I check if my order has shipped?
You can view the status of your order at any time by logging into your Republic Sharps online store customer account, or by contacting our Customer Service department at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com.

How do I track my order?
A shipment tracking number will be sent to the email address you provided when your order has shipped. When available, your tracking number can also be viewed by logging into your Republic Sharps online store customer account or by contacting our Customer Service department at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com.

Do I need to be home when my order arrives? Does the order delivery require a signature?
You do not need to be home to receive your Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit. The delivery does not require a signature.

What if an item(s) is missing from my order or damaged when it arrives?
If your package has been delivered and any of the included parts are missing or damaged, please contact Customer Service at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com for assistance.

What do I do if my order never arrived?
Please make sure that all of the items in your order have been shipped by using the shipment tracking number provided. Using the tracking number, please check with the shipper to confirm that your package was delivered. If your status shows as "delivered", please contact Customer Service at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com for assistance.

Where do I keep the Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit after I receive it?
Place the container in a convenient and safe location. DO NOT throw away the packaging included with the kit. IT IS IMPORTANT TO SAVE YOUR RETURN SHIPPING BOX AND TO NOT THROW ANY OF THE CONTENTS! You MUST return your container in the enclosed shipping kit/box provided.

What do I do with the paperwork that came with my kit?
The kits are shipped with individual destruction manifests. In order to return the filled container, you must complete the customer section of the form, sign it, retain the customer copy and seal the remaining copies in the plastic pouch located on the outside of the shipping box. When your sharps waste has been destroyed, you will receive a final copy of the manifest for your records, showing that the sharps waste was properly destroyed.

How full do I fill the sharps container?
The Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit can be filled to the designated fill line indicated on the label on the outside of the container. DO NOT, under any circumstances, overfill the container! You must be able to securely close the lid of the container prior to shipment.

Can I put blood or fluid in the container?
Blood or other bodily fluids cannot be placed in the container. No more than 50 ml of residual fluids can be put into the Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit, which allows for the minimal amount of liquid that may remain in used syringes. The United States Postal Service will only accept the container if it is used according to their strict specifications, and you, the customer, will be held responsible for any leakage due to filling the container with unacceptable materials.

Do I need to put the caps back on the needles?
You do not need to put the caps back on the needles. Doing so could potentially result in inadvertent needle sticks. Simply place the used needles directly into the sharps container.

How long do I have to return the Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit for disposal?
There is no time limit on how long you can keep your container. You may fill the container as needed and return for disposal using the prepaid USPS mailing label and shipping box provided at any time.

Can I place my own sharps container into the Republic Services Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit?
No, only the Republic Services' sharps container originally sent to you has been approved by the United States Postal Service to be shipped in the box provided.

Can I place the Republic Services sharps container in my own packaging to return for disposal?
No, your own packaging cannot be used. The United States Postal Service strictly regulates the mailing of regulated medical waste and sharps (click here for more information on USPS shipping regulations). If you have lost or misplaced your shipping box, please contact our Customer Service department to request a replacement. Please DO NOT mail your sharps container in a box not provided by Republic Services.

Can I put the manifest tracking document inside of the sharps container?
Do NOT place the manifest tracking document inside of the sharps container or inside of the shipping box. The United States Postal Service must be able to clearly see the manifest document. Please place the completed document inside of the pouch located on the outside of the shipping box. The box is never opened once you seal it, so the manifest would be destroyed if placed inside the box.

How long must the customer manifest tracking document be maintained?
Currently there has been no record retention limit established for generators of home medical waste. However, regulations are subject to change, so it is important to reference the Regulations tab on the Republic Sharps site at republicsharps.com, or click here for up-to-date information on regulatory information for your location.

What if the customer manifest papers that came with my Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit are lost, misplaced or missing?
Please contact our Customer Service department at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com for assistance.

Are the Republic Services Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kits approved by the USPS and safe to send in the mail?
Our Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kits have been tested for safety and have been approved by the United States Postal Service for use in all 50 states.

Is Republic Services Sharps Disposal Service available in all 50 states?
Our Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kits are currently available to customers receiving shipments in any of the 48 contiguous states including Washington D.C. (Not available in Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico).

Does Republic Services allow shipping to countries outside of the United States?
No, shipping is allowed to countries outside of the United States.

Are there any other regulatory requirements to be aware of?
Please refer to the Regulations tab on the Republic Sharps website at republicsharps.com or click here for up-to-date information on regulatory information for your location.

What should I do if I accidentally threw away my return shipping box?
If you have lost or misplaced your shipping box, contact our Customer Service department at 855-737-7871 or by sending an email to Sharps@republicservices.com to request a replacement. Please DO NOT mail your sharps container in a box that is not provided by Republic Services.

How many needles does each container hold?
The 1.4 quart container holds approximately 42 3cc syringes and the 1 gallon container holds approximately 125 3cc syringes.

Our Products:

1 Gallon Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit

TWO 1 Gallon Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kits (ONE (1) mail-back box)

1.4 Quart Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit

Five 1.4 Quart Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kits (ONE (1) mail-back box)