Brazil proposes national disposal system for medical sharps

Bill 1674/26 has been introduced in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies to establish a national reverse logistics and awareness system for the disposal of needles, syringes, lancets, and other sharps used in home medical treatments.

The proposed measure would hold manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers, and consumers accountable. Under the bill, these materials would be prohibited from being discarded in common trash, sewage systems, or public spaces. Instead, disposal must occur at healthcare waste collection points or in specialized containers located in high-traffic areas such as shopping malls.

Deputy Dr. Daniel Soranz (PSD-RJ), the author of the proposal, noted that the rise in home treatments requiring continuous injections—such as diabetes management and the use of weight-loss pens—has significantly increased the volume of medical waste. He stated that improper disposal poses serious sanitary and environmental risks, potentially causing accidents for waste collectors, scavengers, animals, and the general public.