Does anyone receive fridge-cooled items in the post packed with "coolant gel"?

[BadaBing]

Hello

I hope everyone enjoyed the Bank Holiday.

Following the closure of my nearest pharmacy I am now getting my insulin sent to me via Royal Mail. My first delivery was packed with a couple of clear plastic bags containing what I thought was frozen water to keep it cool.

The liquid inside the bag has now melted and I've discovered the liquid inside isn't just water, but water and some sort of polymer.

The melted liquid inside is viscous and I am reluctant to simply pour it down a sink or flush it down my toilet for fear it might block eventually said drains/toilets and also contaminate (our already contaminated) water systems.

The online pharmacy I get my insulins from via post suggests that it might be OK to pour "some" (whatever that actually means - the unfrozen gel is between roughly 350ml-500ml in liquid form) of the gel down the drain or down a toilet.

I found the website of a UK manufacturer/distributor/seller of coolant gel packaging which is used to transport goods "business to business" that need to be kept within temperature limits. I don't know if this particular manufacturer/seller makes the packaging my online pharmacist uses. However, the manufacturer/seller's website indicates that the gel in their packaging should not be pored down a drain or flushed down the toilet.

I've asked my local council about the safest and most environmentally friendly way to dispose of the gel, and am still waiting to receive an answer from them (I phoned them initially and they didn't have an answer for me).

Does anyone else receive fridge-cooled medicines in the mail packed in identical/similar packaging? If so, would really appreciate knowing how you manage to dispose of the unfrozen packaging gel.

Many thanks.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hello

I hope everyone enjoyed the Bank Holiday.

Following the closure of my nearest pharmacy I am now getting my insulin sent to me via Royal Mail. My first delivery was packed with a couple of clear plastic bags containing what I thought was frozen water to keep it cool.

The liquid inside the bag has now melted and I've discovered the liquid inside isn't just water, but water and some sort of polymer.

The melted liquid inside is viscous and I am reluctant to simply pour it down a sink or flush it down my toilet for fear it might block eventually said drains/toilets and also contaminate (our already contaminated) water systems.

The online pharmacy I get my insulins from via post suggests that it might be OK to pour "some" (whatever that actually means - the unfrozen gel is between roughly 350ml-500ml in liquid form) of the gel down the drain or down a toilet.

I found the website of a UK manufacturer/distributor/seller of coolant gel packaging which is used to transport goods "business to business" that need to be kept within temperature limits. I don't know if this particular manufacturer/seller makes the packaging my online pharmacist uses. However, the manufacturer/seller's website indicates that the gel in their packaging should not be pored down a drain or flushed down the toilet.

I've asked my local council about the safest and most environmentally friendly way to dispose of the gel, and am still waiting to receive an answer from them (I phoned them initially and they didn't have an answer for me).

Does anyone else receive fridge-cooled medicines in the mail packed in identical/similar packaging? If so, would really appreciate knowing how you manage to dispose of the unfrozen packaging gel.

Many thanks.

It is likely like the water retaining gel you can use in the garden in pots and hanging baskets so you could just put it in the garden.
You could refreeze it and use to cool stuff if you take out for a picnic.
We frequently used to get things delivered with those in a polystyrene box at the lab so we used to keep them in the freezer in case people needed to send samples chilled.

 

[Docb]

Or you could try looking at this

How to Dispose of Gel Ice Packs? 3 Easy Ways - How to Dispose

Gel ice packs can be convenient for keeping your foods and beverages cool during long rides or when you want to ice a sprained ankle or two.

howtodispose.info

 

[BadaBing]

It is likely like the water retaining gel you can use in the garden in pots and hanging baskets so you could just put it in the garden.
You could refreeze it and use to cool stuff if you take out for a picnic.
We frequently used to get things delivered with those in a polystyrene box at the lab so we used to keep them in the freezer in case people needed to send samples chilled.

Thank you very much @Leadinglights. These all all excellent suggestions, and some of them I will use.

However, if the online pharmacy is going to be sending me packages every month/bi-monthly, eventually I am going to be inundated with these gel packs and will have more than I know what to do with or could ever use (reminds me of that episode of Star Trek where Captain Kirk opens a door on a space station and is buried immediately in tribbles). So I need another disposal strategy.

 

[BadaBing]

Or you could try looking at this

How to Dispose of Gel Ice Packs? 3 Easy Ways - How to Dispose

Gel ice packs can be convenient for keeping your foods and beverages cool during long rides or when you want to ice a sprained ankle or two.

howtodispose.info

Thank you very much, the link and the web document is very helpful.

Haven't read it all yet.

The gel packs I have contain absolutely no indication on them whatsoever of what type of material is in the liquid and how it can be disposed of safely and in an environmentally responsible way.

I understand the need to keep insulin cool whilst in transit, but businesses should not be allowed to use these materials to send goods "business-to-ordinary-consumer" if they cannot specify how they can be gotten rid of quickly, safely and in an environmentally responsible way.

Is it any wonder we have some of the worst quality water systems, etc?

And mankind wonders why the ecosystems of the water on planet Earth is being altered (but not in a good way)!

 

[RBZ5416]

If you ring around the other pharmacies in your area you may well find one that delivers FOC, I used to deliver for one that does. But if you find one, be sure to ask how they keep fridge items cool in the delivery vehicle. Mine was initially quite happy for them to sit in a non-air conditioned van for several hours in the height of summer, before I nagged them into buying a cool box!

 

[BadaBing]

If you ring around the other pharmacies in your area you may well find one that delivers FOC, I used to deliver for one that does. But if you find one, be sure to ask how they keep fridge items cool in the delivery vehicle. Mine was initially quite happy for them to sit in a non-air conditioned van for several hours in the height of summer, before I nagged them into buying a cool box!

Thank you!

I have pretty much used all of the pharmacies within reasonable driving or walking distance of where I live since I was first diagnosed. Most I would no longer trust because of previous poor customer service (including one occasion many years ago with a well known pharmacy chain where the individual who was serving me thought it was actually extremely funny that they hadn't got my insulin which I was fast running out of).

The only reason I've moved online was because my local, reliable Community pharmacy closed a couple of months ago and I was forced to take my prescription elsewhere.

Before I went online I even tried a pharmacist in our town centre who I hadn't used before. Another well known chain. Was happy to walk into town and pick my medicines up each month when they were ready (like I used to do at the Community pharmacy). Unfortunately for me the pharmacy in town doesn't have a permanent pharmacist and getting my medicine proved a palaver, that I wasn't willing to repeat.

I'm happy getting my medicines from the online pharmacy via post. I just need to be able to dispose of the ice gel packs without upsetting my binmen or my local council's waste disposal service.

 

[RBZ5416]

I just need to be able to dispose of the ice gel packs without upsetting my binmen or my local council's waste disposal service.

Maybe ask the online pharmacy if you can mail them back for reuse? Might need to store up a few to make it more economical.

 

[BadaBing]

Maybe ask the online pharmacy if you can mail them back for reuse? Might need to store up a few to make it more economical.

Great suggestion, thank you! Already asked that. The online pharmacy has nothing in place at present for customers to return these ice gel packs. I suggested they ought to put such a scheme in place.