Insulin Syringes???

[Shellbelly]

To who are using syringes, what do you do with them when you are done? Back in the day when my mother gave me my shots she would bend the cap and the needle would break off. I worked at a doctors office for 3 years and just put them in the safty hazard container, but I no longer work for them. I tried doing the breaking of the needle off and it just doesnt happen. I have a whole grocery bag full of needles and dont know what to do with it? I feel like a big druggie having them around? I mean is putting them in a milk container safe enough??:nurse:

[Stumpkins]

Hi, I used to be in the same boat as you! I had 25 coffee cans full of them!!! I found out that my endo has a program..that I joined! You pay $10 (one time fee) to start, and they give you a biohazard container. Once you fill it, you take it back to the office, and they give you a new one! Very safe, and EASY - you should ask your doc if he/she knows of a program like this!:top:

[Cyborg]

You might want to check with your local firestation.

[liz32]

I put mine in a sharps container, provided for free, by my local pharmacy. As long as the lid is on when I return it they'll take it and dispose of it at no charge. I've also heard of putting them in bleach containers and then filling the space with bleach to kill any bio-hazzards. I prefer the sharps container.
Liz

[jen_slc]

Check with your local/county/district health department (environmental division) to see what regulations exist in your area because it is different everywhere. In some areas you are allowed to use plain old plastic bottles straight in the trash, but in others you have to use the red sharps containers and drop them off at specific locations instead of the trash. Some places even require that of lancets too. Also try your local ADA chapter, though they've never given me a straight answer, I think they are clueless.

[Mark C]

Get yourself a used laundry detergent bottle and slip them into that. When full, tape it shut and label it "DO NOT RECYCLE" and throw it away.

[kgm0612]

I put my lancets and the needle from my infusion set into a coffee can. When it's full, my sister (a nurse) takes it to work and disposes it for me.

Karen

[lelggren]

Just use a bottle that is NOT see-through, such as a Tide laundry detergent bottle, and just put them in that and then tape it shut and throw it out. You can't throw it out if it is in a sharps container for obvious reasons. But, when it is disguised as just a laundry detergent bottle or other container like that, it is alright to throw it in the garbage.

[lgvincent]

I put the cap back on and I find the needle and cap pop off pretty easily.

[Shellbelly]

my syringes must be generic or something, cause I tried popping the needle off and it just bends?? i have poked my self several times trying to get it to brake so im kinda nervous to do it that way. thanks for all the ideas!!

[jen_slc]

Just use a bottle that is NOT see-through, such as a Tide laundry detergent bottle, and just put them in that and then tape it shut and throw it out. You can't throw it out if it is in a sharps container for obvious reasons. But, when it is disguised as just a laundry detergent bottle or other container like that, it is alright to throw it in the garbage.Here in Salt Lake County, regulations say to collect them in a sharps container and then dispose of the containers in the garbage. I really wish there were the same sharps disposal regulations across the country because all the variations lead to much confusion! Shellbelly, though everyone's given suggestions here, it honestly depends on your location and what the regulations are in your town/county/district as to what you should be doing rather than what you would like to do. :wink: