The New York Sanitation Department is telling New Yorkers to stop throwing away their needles the wrong way.
Workers have been increasingly jabbed while on the job as needle-style medications — more specifically GLP-1s — have risen in popularity.
Here's what to know.
How many sanitation workers have been poked by needles this year?
Over the past few years, a steady increase has been reported of workers getting poked by needles in the trash.
In 2019, 25 sanitation workers were injured by needles on the job. As of Aug. 10, the agency reported 49 needle injuries so far this year.
Why are more workers getting poked by needles?
The Department of Sanitation said that although they don't have specific data on the needles related to the injuries, it's likely that the increase is connected to GLP-1 injectable medications.
As more New Yorkers use injectable medications,
more Sanitation Workers are getting stuck by needles & syringes thrown out incorrectly. STOP!! Place items in a leak-proof, puncture-resistant container, like a laundry detergent bottle, seal it up, label it, and place it in trash.… pic.twitter.com/MIAcA0YwbY
— NYC Sanitation (@NYCSanitation) August 20, 2026
Workers pick up 24 million pounds of trash daily, the agency's commissioner, Gregory Anderson, said in a video on the issue.
"As more New Yorkers use injectable medications, more Sanitation Workers are getting stuck by needles & syringes thrown out incorrectly," the department wrote on X.
"STOP!!"
How should needles be thrown out in NYC?
A marked sharps container needs to be used in order to stop needles from poking through. But it doesn't need to be a new purchase for your household.
The agency said that even using a laundry detergent bottle labeled with "sharps - do not recycle" is enough. The leak-proof, puncture-resistant container should then be thrown in the trash, not recycled or flushed down a toilet.
"Used sharps can also be taken to any hospital or nursing home in New York State (call first for hours and locations), SAFE Disposal Events or pharmaceutical/sharps drop-off locations," the agency said in a statement to USA TODAY.
How much are fines for throwing out needles improperly in NYC?
Residents are legally required to throw sharps away correctly.
The NYC Department of Sanitation is now trying to amend the rules, charging those who improperly throw away needles a $250 fine instead of the current $100 charge. The $100 amount has been in effect since 2002.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NYC sanitation workers keep getting poked by thrown-out needles. Here's why
