December 09, 2025
Tattoo Waste Guide: How to Dispose of Needles & Sharps
Every tattoo tells a story, but so does the waste left behind in the studio.
From used needles to leftover ink, the by-products of tattooing aren’t just messy, they’re potentially hazardous. How you dispose of them affects your clients, your staff, the environment, and your business reputation.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about tattoo waste disposal, including how to handle sharps, what to do with leftover ink, and which bins are right for contaminated items. We’ll also look at the UK regulations that apply to tattoo studios and how providers like Stericycle can make compliance simple.
What Is Tattoo Waste?
Tattooing isn’t just about ink and artistry, it also creates a stream of waste that needs careful handling. In the eyes of UK regulations, much of this material is classed as clinical waste, meaning it can be hazardous to both people and the environment if it’s not managed properly.
Tattoo waste typically includes:
Needles and sharps - everything from tattooing needles to disposable cartridges.
Leftover ink – any portion of ink that’s been used or contaminated.
Contaminated consumables – gloves, paper towels, wipes, and dressings that may carry trace amounts of blood or ink.
Sharps bins themselves – once full, even the bin becomes a regulated waste item.
Because tattoo waste often comes into contact with blood or bodily fluids, it can carry infection risks. That’s why it must be separated from general rubbish and placed into the right containers from the start.
Why Proper Tattoo Waste Disposal Matters
When you’re running a tattoo studio, waste isn’t just something that piles up in the bin – it’s a regulated material that demands careful handling. From needles to ink, how you dispose of it affects more than just your workspace.
1. Health & Safety First
A single misplaced needle can lead to serious injury or infection. Proper disposal protects both artists and clients and ensures your studio remains a safe space.
2. It’s the Law
In the UK, tattoo waste falls under strict clinical and healthcare waste regulations. Studios are legally responsible for making sure waste is stored securely, collected by licensed providers, and disposed of correctly. Ignoring these rules can result in fines or enforcement action. Tattoo studios must follow HTM 07-01 guidance for healthcare waste segregation and sustainability.
3. Environmental Responsibility
Ink poured down the drain or contaminated wipes in general rubbish can end up in places they shouldn’t. Safe disposal prevents pollution and supports a cleaner environment. Where possible, offensive waste is processed at energy-from-waste facilities to reduce landfill dependence.
4. Professional Standards
Studios that invest in safe waste management show clients they take hygiene and compliance seriously – something people notice when choosing where to get their next tattoo.
✅ For sharps specifically, Stericycle provides specialist clinical waste bins designed to keep tattoo needles secure until collection. You can learn more about them here.
Tattoo Needle Disposal
Tattoo needles are classed as sharps waste, meaning they carry one of the highest risks in the studio. Because they pierce the skin, used needles can carry bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis B or HIV, so they must be handled with extra care. They are classified by EWC codes: 18 01 01 (sharps not contaminated with medicines) and 18 01 03 (infectious waste).
Where should tattoo needles be thrown away?
Never place tattoo needles in general rubbish bags or recycling bins. They should always go into a UN-approved sharps bin – a puncture-resistant, sealed container designed specifically for used needles.
How to dispose of tattoo needles in the UK?
Studios are legally required to keep used needles in sharps bins until they’re collected by a licensed clinical waste provider, like Stericycle. Once a bin is full, it’s sealed and transported for safe treatment and destruction.
Here’s how Stericycle handles sharps waste disposal step by step:
Can you dispose of needles without a sharps bin?
The short answer is no.
It’s unsafe and non-compliant. Sharps bins are the only approved method of storing tattoo needles. Improvising with bottles, tins, or general bins can put staff, clients, and waste handlers at risk.
Which bin do tattoo needles go in?
Tattoo needles typically go in orange-lidded sharps bins (or yellow if contaminated with medicines). These bins are available in different sizes to suit studio needs, from compact containers for smaller parlours to larger bins for busy shops.
💉 For more detail on what counts as sharps waste, check out our guide: What Is Sharps Waste?
What About Leftover Tattoo Ink?
Not every drop of ink gets used during a tattoo session, but what happens to the rest of it?
Leftover tattoo ink is considered clinical waste once it’s been poured into caps or come into contact with equipment. That means it needs to be treated with the same care as sharps and contaminated items.
Can you put ink down the sink?
No. Tattoo ink should never be poured down sinks or drains. Aside from blocking pipes, ink contains pigments and chemicals that can harm the environment if they enter water systems.
What to do with waste ink?
Waste ink should be collected in a designated clinical waste container and disposed of through a licensed waste provider. This ensures it’s treated safely, in compliance with UK waste regulations.
What to do with leftover ink bottles?
Unopened bottles can be stored safely for future use (as long as they’re within expiry date). But once opened, any unused ink that can’t be stored hygienically should be treated as waste and disposed of in line with clinical waste rules.
By following these steps, studios not only protect the environment but also stay compliant with health and safety laws. For a deeper look at how hazardous substances are managed, check out our guide on what is chemical waste.
Other Tattoo Waste (Gloves, Wipes, Paper Towels)
It’s not just needles and ink that count as tattoo waste.
Everyday items used during a tattoo session, like gloves, wipes, cotton pads, and paper towels, can all become contaminated once they’ve come into contact with blood or ink.
Because of this, they’re classified as clinical/infectious waste and must be kept separate from general refuse. Mixing them with household or business waste not only breaks UK waste regulations but also puts cleaners, waste handlers, and the public at risk.
The correct approach is to place these items into designated clinical waste bags or containers, such as Stericycle’s clinical waste bags, which are then collected by a licensed provider for safe treatment and disposal.
Safe Tattoo Waste Disposal with Stericycle
Tattoo waste, from needles and ink to gloves and wipes, isn’t something studios can treat like ordinary rubbish. It’s clinical waste, and that means it needs to be handled with care, in line with UK regulations.
Stericycle makes this process simple. With UN-approved sharps bins, clinical waste bags, and nationwide collections, we help tattoo studios of every size manage their waste safely and compliantly. All waste is treated and disposed of securely, giving you peace of mind that your clients, staff, and reputation are protected.
Working with a licensed provider isn’t just about ticking boxes, it’s about running a professional, trusted studio.
