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Sharps containers..

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Martin9

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi all, sorry if this has been asked before, but do you guys use sharps containers for used lancets and blood test strips, and if so where do you take to for disposal when full ??
 
I think it varies from area to area. I take mine to the surgery. I think strips can go in general waste.
 
I take mine to my gp surgery. Blood testing strips go in my general waste.
 
I swap mine at the chemists, I put strips in general waste too x
 
I have to take my sharps to my surgery and was told my strips just go in your home waste used empty insulin pens can go in the recycling
 
Strips in general waste. Sharps bin provided, delivered and collected by local council.
 
Strips go in general waste as they are not sharp, most of them these days have a layer of clear plastic over the tip so the chance of anyone else being able to touch the blood is virtually zero. Here I take the full sharps bin to our GP surgery and they dispose of it, and we get the replacement one on prescription.
 
I have to take mine to my local health clinic. They just swap the used one for a new one.
 
My stabber has the needles enclosed in a drum, so no sharp bits & goes straight in the bin.
 
My test strips go in the general waste bin and my sharps bin is collected and replaced by the local council.
 
Mine all have to go in the landfill bin because our surgery refuses to take sharps even in a bin
My husband had a hip replacement last year and needed anti blood clotting injections for a week, the surgery would not to take the sealed sharps bin when the course finished so we had to wait for his hospital follow up to get rid of them.
I don't change my lancet that often and the replacements with the Codefree come with a cover that you can use on the old one before you throw it away.
 
Like others strips go in the general waste. Our sharps bins are delivered and then collected and replaced when full in response to a phone call.
 
Hi all, sorry if this has been asked before, but do you guys use sharps containers for used lancets and blood test strips, and if so where do you take to for disposal when full ??

You don’t need to put test strips in a sharps container (they are no more a problem than used plasters etc).

For used lancets, you should be able to get a sharps container according to local authority rules. Sometimes GP surgeries or pharmacies are used, but I’m pretty sure it is the local authority that has the legal responsibility.
 
I have to take my sharps to my surgery and was told my strips just go in your home waste used empty insulin pens can go in the recycling
I didn't know the pens could be recycled! thank you for this. Its one of bug bairs what happens to all the plastic waste from my diabetes!
 
As everyone has mentioned it varies from area to area. Your Local Authority are responsible for this and will have their own policy on whether this is done by arranged collections, via pharmacies or through GP surgeries. You are best contacting your LA to find out what the process in your area. 🙂
 
We can't put hard plastic in our recycling, so pens can't be recycled in our part of Warwickshire.
 
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