TL;DR

• Contact 311 to report a needle found on City of Toronto property (like sidewalks).
• Use tongs or puncture-resistant gloves to put a needle in a plastic container with a lid before bringing it to a drop-off location.
• Visit the City of Toronto’s website for needle drop-off locations around the city.

The City of Toronto and Toronto Public Health (TPH) say that keeping neighbourhoods safe is a collective responsibility.

On the City’s website, it says that “improperly discarded needles and harm reduction supplies found in our communities have been identified as a concern” for community safety.

So, if you’re reading this guide because you want to keep your community safe, here’s what you need to know about where to go, who to call and how to handle a needle.

Who to contact if you’ve found a needle in Toronto

If you’ve found a needle on the street or road, you can immediately report it by calling 311 or by submitting a request through 311’s online portal. If you know someone struggling with mental health or addiction, you can direct them to call 211, a free, confidential service provider that can connect people to local supports.

If you find a needle in a city park, report it by calling 311. The online portal is only for needles found on roads, sidewalks, boulevards or city laneways.

• Before reporting, make sure you can answer these questions to make it as easy as possible for the needle to be found:
  • Where are you?
    • Have street name intersections, know which side of the road you are on (north side versus south side) and any helpful information like whether it is next to a planter or hydro pole?
  • What did you find?
    • Is it a needle or a syringe?
      • If you don’t know the difference, the City of Toronto describes needles as a long, thin, sharp tool for piercing skin that’s made of metal. A syringe, usually made of plastic, is used for injecting or drawing out fluids. Needles are also sometimes called sharps.
  • If you’re reporting online, you can also take a photo of the item.
  • What contact information are you leaving?
    • The online form requests a first and last name and a phone number in case they need more information.

How to safely drop off a needle

1. Protect your hands by using tongs and/or wearing gloves that are puncture-resistant.
2. Hold the tip of the needle away from you and do not prick yourself.
3. If you have a sharps container, put the needle in there. If not, put it in a plastic container with a lid.
4. Do not put the container in a regular garbage or recycling bin; it must be disposed of separately.
5. Bring it to one of the locations below if it was found on private property, or call 311 to pick it up if it was found on the street or public property.
   • If you’re interested in how many needle pickups are requested in your area, head to 311 and select “waste collection, bins, litter and needle cleanup” on their website.

Where to drop off needles in Toronto

The City of Toronto has an up-to-date list of drop-off locations. Most are downtown, with a couple scattered across Scarborough, Etobicoke and North York. You can also call 311 to find a location near you.

Needles can also be dropped off at a drop-off depot in the city for free since they’re considered hazardous waste. Find a location near you here.

If you can’t make it to a depot or drop-off bin, there are participating pharmacies across the city that’ll accept found needles and dispose of them properly for you.

If you’re interested in learning more about drug use in Toronto and how you can be prepared to help our neighbours who are using, read our guide about reversing overdoses in the city.

Reversing overdoses in Toronto

By Julia Lawrence | June 23, 2026

The Ontario government ended funding for seven essential supervised consumption sites across the province to transition to a new model on June 13.