Sharps container disposal service
Published prices run from $45.00 for Republic's 1.5-quart kit and MedPro's 1-quart system to $254.99 for MedSharps' 18-gallon system. Kit contents and return carriers differ. Not every mail-back uses USPS.
| System / identifier | Capacity | Published price | Stated fit, dimensions, or limit | Included service or carrier detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Services Inc. 1.5-Quart Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit Item 10150-RS |
1.5 quart | $45.00 | 3.5" × 3.5" × 6.5"; approximately 20–30 3cc syringes or 50–70 1cc syringes | Instructions, secure sharps container, postal-authorized return box and liner, prepaid return shipping, tracking documentation; UPS named for outbound shipping; vendor says tested and approved by USPS for use in 48 contiguous states |
| Republic Services Inc. 1-Gallon Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit Item 11000-RS |
1 gallon | $60.00 | 8.75" × 5.5" × 7.5" in Specifications; approximately 95–100 3cc syringes or 210–230 1cc syringes | Same kit contents; vendor says tested and approved by USPS for use in 48 contiguous states; UPS named for outbound shipping |
| Republic Services Inc. 2-Gallon Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit Item 12000-RS |
2 gallon | $72.00 | 8.75" × 5.5" × 10.75"; approximately 250–270 3cc syringes or 440–460 1cc syringes | Same kit contents; vendor says tested and approved by USPS for use in 48 contiguous states; UPS named for outbound shipping |
| Sharps Medical Waste Services 1-Gallon Sharps Mailback SKU 11000 |
1 gallon | $77.75* | 10-pound maximum return weight; $2.50 per pound over the limit | Prepaid return mailing system, return transportation and proper treatment, proof of treatment through SharpsTracer, serialized tracking |
| MedPro Disposal 1 Quart Sharps Disposal System | 1 quart | $45.00 | 8.5" L × 6" W × 7" H; 5-pound maximum; approximately 75–100 needles, 125–175 lancets, or 35–50 standard 1 mL syringes | Price includes shipping including return shipping; prepaid return shipping box; certificate of destruction emailed and downloadable |
| MedPro Disposal 2 Gallon Sharps Disposal System | 2 gallon | $75.00 | 10" L × 6" W × 11.15" H; 12-pound maximum; approximately 300–400 needles, 500–700 lancets, or 150–250 standard 1 mL syringes | Price includes shipping including return shipping; prepaid return shipping box; certificate of destruction emailed and downloadable |
| MedSharps 1.4 Quart Sharps Disposal System | 1.4 quart | $65.00 | — | Free return shipping; local UPS pickup; USPS not named |
| MedSharps 1.2 Gallon Sharps Disposal System | 1.2 gallon | $58.99 | — | Free return shipping; local UPS pickup; USPS not named |
| MedSharps 2 Gallon Sharps Disposal System | 2 gallon | $69.99 | — | Free return shipping; local UPS pickup; USPS not named |
| MedSharps 3 Gallon Sharps Disposal System | 3 gallon | $86.99 | — | Free return shipping; local UPS pickup; USPS not named |
| MedSharps 5 Gallon Sharps Disposal System | 5 gallon | $114.99 | — | Free return shipping; local UPS pickup; USPS not named |
| MedSharps 18 Gallon Sharps Disposal System | 18 gallon | $254.99 | — | Free return shipping; local UPS pickup; USPS not named |
| The Sharps Disposal By Mail System PRO-TEC Mailback Sharps Container, 1-Piece 2 Gallon Red Snap On Lid, 12000-012 - Each ASIN B000O0EMFU |
2 gallon | $68.47† | Approximately 250–270 3cc syringes or 440–460 1cc syringes | Government-approved return-by-mail system and instructions; marketplace listing, three sellers |
| Daniels Health sharps containers | 1 gallon, 3.7, 5.8, 8.5, and 16.9 gallons | Not published / quote | Sharpsmart models are named reusable containers; range also includes Secure a Sharp 2 QT and 1 Gallon | Facility route-service units; the page offers no mail-back product |
*Sharps Medical Waste Services states that the $77.75 price does not include outbound freight or sales tax.
What separates one mail-back system from another
The dividing line for a postal mail-back is USPS Publication 52 § 346.322. Category A regulated medical waste and sharps medical waste is not mailable. Category B material is permitted only through USPS Returns Service via USPS Ground Advantage, with UN3291 marking. Appendix C Packaging Instruction 6D points back to § 346.322. It adds no separate packaging standard. PostalPro calls the authorization prior written authorization. Section 346.322 requires each complete system to be tested and certified by an independent testing facility before the vendor applies.
USPS sets a maximum primary-receptacle capacity of 3 gallons for sharps and 5 gallons for other waste. It requires rigid, securely sealed, leakproof, puncture-resistant primary receptacles. Also watertight secondary containment. Also a 200-pound-grade corrugated-fiberboard outer package. Also absorbent material retaining 150 mL per primary receptacle. Also a 25-pound mailpiece limit. Medical Professional Packages are separate. Section 346.322(b)6 allows a primary receptacle larger than 5 gallons for pre-primary sharps receptacles and a 35-pound mailpiece limit. These are vendor and packaging requirements, not reader procedures. The same rigid, leakproof, puncture-resistant construction defines an approved sharps container.
DOT adds a transport-performance layer. 49 CFR § 173.197(b) requires non-bulk regulated-medical-waste packaging to be UN standard packaging at Packing Group II performance level, with puncture-resistance testing for sharps and representative fluids. It states: "Sharps containers must be securely closed to prevent leaks or punctures in conformance with the instructions provided by the packaging manufacturer in accordance with § 178.2(c) of this subchapter." A USPS system therefore has both postal mailing and DOT packaging requirements.
Coverage differs by vendor. Republic lists a secure sharps container, postal-authorized return box and liner, prepaid return shipping, instructions, and tracking documentation. UPS is named for outbound shipping only. Sharps Medical Waste Services lists return transportation and proper treatment, proof of treatment through SharpsTracer, and serialization for tracking. Its 1-gallon system has a 10-pound maximum return weight and a $2.50-per-pound overage charge. Its $77.75 price excludes outbound freight and sales tax. MedPro says its prices include return shipping. Its corporate page identifies UPS for the return leg. MedSharps states free return shipping through local UPS pickup and names no USPS authorization.
Capacity is not a like-for-like cost-per-gallon basis. The listed sizes are nominal volumes from different manufacturers. The Amazon 2-gallon listing was $68.47 on 2026-07-31, which undercuts both comparable published figures: MedSharps at $69.99 and Republic at $72.00. Its listed capacity matches Republic's 250–270 3cc or 440–460 1cc figures. Manufacturer number 12000-012 shares the 12000 stem with Republic item 12000-RS. Republic's 1-gallon page prints 7 inches in its summary and 7.5 inches in Specifications. The table uses 7.5 inches. Vendor capacity figures counted in 3cc and 1cc syringes also vary by needle and barrel size, so treat them as vendor estimates rather than a shared measure.
† Amazon marketplace price, not a published list price. It moved between $68.47 and $68.60 during verification on 2026-07-31.
Where to buy
The listing was shown in stock on 2026-07-31, with an ordinary consumer buy box and no account restriction. Three sellers were listed, from $68.47:
Sources
- USPS, Publication 52 § 346 — Toxic Substances and Infectious Substances
- USPS, Publication 52 Appendix C — Packaging Instruction 6D
- USPS PostalPro, Sharps and Regulated Medical Waste
- U.S. DOT / PHMSA, 49 CFR § 173.197
- Republic Services Inc., 1.5-Quart Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit
- Republic Services Inc., 1-Gallon Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit
- Republic Services Inc., 2-Gallon Sharps Disposal Mail-Back Kit
- Sharps Medical Waste Services, 1-Gallon Sharps Mailback
- MedPro Disposal, 1 Quart Sharps Disposal System
- MedPro Disposal, 2 Gallon Sharps Disposal System
- MedPro Waste Disposal, MedPro Mail-Back Solutions
- MedSharps, Mail-Back Program
- Daniels Health, Sharps Containers
- Amazon.com, PRO-TEC Mailback Sharps Container listing
Specifications last verified: 2026-07-31