By Fatma Younis
The surge in injectable weight-loss medications such as Mounjaro and Wegovy is causing more used needles to appear at recycling facilities, endangering workers who sort household waste.
Needles found in household waste
At a recycling plant in Coventry, supervisor Paul Pagett displayed a crushed yellow sharps container that had been mixed with regular waste. The container should have been disposed of through dedicated clinical waste services, but it ended up in a wheelie bin, was crushed by a collection vehicle, and spilled needles onto the sorting line.
Growing problem from private prescriptions
Richard Dobbs, managing director of Sherborne Recycling, which serves about 1.5 million residents, said safe disposal routes exist but the worst place for needles is in recycling bins. The plant’s workers must manually remove non-recyclable items and inspect waste, putting them in direct contact with discarded sharps. Many patients obtain weight-loss injections privately and may not receive a sharps box or disposal guidance, leading to improper disposal.
Health risks for staff
A needlestick injury requires months of testing and waiting for results, with a risk of serious infections. Dobbs described the experience as worrying and potentially devastating for affected employees.
Call for proper disposal
Health officials urge anyone using injectable medications to speak with their GP or pharmacy about obtaining a sharps bin and safe disposal methods. Sharps containers and loose needles should never be placed in recycling bins.
