Needle Disposal

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elizajayne

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello
I am new to the use of needles, lancets, etc. Currently I put all in a yellow box that my GP prescribs for me and I then return the full box to my GP for disposal.

I am unsure if this is the best way to do this and would be interested to know what others do?

Our local council has a scheme, but I am not sure what it is, and whether the provide boxes, or just collect? [I am not good at using the phone & when I email, I am just told to phone!]

Also I am confused at the GP prescribes a 1litre yellow box, but the nurse said I should have an 'orange box', as I dispose of pen needles, lancets and testing strips in the same box.

Any tips would be good.

Thanks
Elizajayne
 
hi,

my doctors to gave me the sharps bin, but my dn gave me something called a safe clip which cuts the sharp end of the needle off and i then dispose of the rest of it with my test strips in my yellow haz bin. you should be able to get a safe clip off either the doctor or your dn.
 
Thanks mike
I have heard of these 'safe clips' for needles, but I use needles that screw into my byetta preloaded pen. As well as the needle part, they have a sharp part that goes into the drug, and although this part is sheilded by the plastic cover, it is still sharp. I don't know how I would cut this end off.

elizajayne
 
I just use the yellow box as prescribed by my Dr. The first one I had had an orange top, and the chemist refused to take it at first, depite it having their stickers all over it.
 
hi,

yeah my needles have the sharp inner to them to as i have them for my insulin which i load into my novopens, but if you snip the top exposed part off, i have been told by my doctor to then dispose of all of my diabetes related stuff in my yellow haz bin and return it to be destroyed. safe clip also works on the lancets too.
 
I use the yellow bin that I got from my previous GP, I need to find out if my new GP takes them or I need to ring the council. Thanks for the reminder.
 
Some councils will take sharps bins or have a system for the disposal of what is termed as Clinical Waste. It is best to ask them or your new GP.

Are you working? Some firms also have schemes for the safe disposal of this kind of stuff so you don't have to carry it about if you use needles and test at work. It is always worth asking.
 
i was given one of these needle clippers and even after reading the above i have no idea what its for?!
 
I've got a big yellow sharps bin that the council provided. It takes about 6 months to fill, then I just ring them up and they collect - I can either leave it on the doorstep or they'll knock on the door for it. I was quite impressed🙂
 
lol when you have a pen injector or lancet device you use the safe clip to snip the needle down to the screw on cap so it is no longer a hazard, but you still need to make sure you dispose of it in you yellow haz bin.
 
elizajayne said:
Hello
I am new to the use of needles, lancets, etc. Currently I put all in a yellow box that my GP prescribs for me and I then return the full box to my GP for disposal.

I am unsure if this is the best way to do this and would be interested to know what others do?

Our local council has a scheme, but I am not sure what it is, and whether the provide boxes, or just collect? [I am not good at using the phone & when I email, I am just told to phone!]

Also I am confused at the GP prescribes a 1litre yellow box, but the nurse said I should have an 'orange box', as I dispose of pen needles, lancets and testing strips in the same box.

Any tips would be good.

Thanks
Elizajayne
Click to expand...
When I had nearly filled up my first bin I checked with my DSN who said the pharmacys don't take them back. Ring your local council and tell them you are a diabetic and need the bin taking away. I get mine collected on Tuesdays whenever I book a job so I have to ring them up the Thursday before. They also leave me a bin as well. 🙂
 
Am I wrong in not using these yellow bins?

I was sure at the carb count course I did, it is okay to put your disposables into an empty say juice bottle, I use splenda containers then tape up very securely before putting in normal waste rubbish/bin liner. This saves money and your recycling but now I'm worried, is this a safe way of disposal?
 
I don't use yellow bins.
I thought at the carb course I did, it was okay to dispose in empty say juice bottles, I use splenda containers then tape up securely with parcel tape and dispose in normal household rubbish/bin liner, you save money and your recycling.
Now I'm worried is this a safe way of disposal?
 
I do the same as Catwoman to minimise costs, both financial and environmental. I find a secure container eg medicine pot / vitamin pot / bleach bottle etc with childproof lid, and when it's full, secure top with gaffer tape before disposing of in normal waste to landfill. I put blood strips back in their packs, then dispose of in normal waste - after all, it's a lot less bodily fluid than on a disposable nappy or blood than on a tampon and less than on many plasters, and those aren't counted as special / clinical waste. Or place strips in a sanitary waste bin in toilet if I'm near one. Seems a waste of resources to get a special collection for one box, even if it is only once every 6 months or so.
 
Sorry for the double message just noticed page 2 on viewing! new to site!
 
I was told to always use a sharps bin, take it to the GP when full and get a free prescription for another one. All the sharps bins are incinerated, not put in landfill. Any GP or walk-in clinic or similar should take your old sharps, even if in a screwed up, gaffer taped bottle.
 
akdcolchester said:
I was told to always use a sharps bin, take it to the GP when full and get a free prescription for another one. All the sharps bins are incinerated, not put in landfill. Any GP or walk-in clinic or similar should take your old sharps, even if in a screwed up, gaffer taped bottle.
Click to expand...
Thankyou for all the information - very useful.
I have been told that anything that has my blood on it, or has been into my body (like a needle/lancet) is treated as clinical - my nurse says that it can't be recycled or go into normal household waste just incase someone at the rubbish dump or recycling centre is injured by the sharp things.
I don't want anyone to get hurt, so I want to treat them as clinical waste and dispose of them properly - it's just that I am a little confused about the right system to use.
All your comments have been most helpful, and I have a better idea of what to do.
Thanks
Elizajayne, Exeter
 
Copepod said:
Sugarfreerach - advice re Safe Clip here: http://www.bddiabetes.co.uk/cgi-bin...DC+Documents/C6FEBF8F030E229300256E3500606972 picture is quite helpful, although a shorter URL would be good!
Click to expand...
Many thanks for the link to the BD Safe Clip, I use the BD Micro-FineTM+ Pen Needles They come in a plastic cover & when used you screw the cover back over the needle - this leaves a sharp point exposed, but inside the cover.
I assume the Safe Clip is used to cut the needle off when it is still attached to the pen, then the cover is screwed back on - the other sharp point that is slightly exposed will only have been into the drug so I assume it won't be of a hazzard to anyone.

My lancets have a plastic tab that you take off and push back on when used - if I cut the end off with the Safe Clip, would I still be able to push the plastic tab on.

Elizajayne
 
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