Sharps box disposal

[Flower]

Has anyone used a private company for sharps bin disposal? The companies I’ve contacted recently only deal with industry & not private adresses.

I’m struggling with the boxes that are in my house. My Council doesn’t collect sharps bins, it’s done by designated pharmacies,

Over the past 10-15 years I’ve struggled to get boxes back to the pharmacy- one or both of my legs has been in casts & I can’t see well enough to drive. I’ve tried on occasions to take some boxes in but was told they couldn’t take them at that time as the person who dealt with them wasn’t there.

I’m trying to get on top of my sharps bins, I’ve managed to get 15 boxes to the pharmacy in the last few weeks & I’ll keep going but I still have too many and find it a challenge.

I used to live in an area where the Council collected & left a new box and that was so helpful. As someone living with disabilities I find getting boxes in a rucksack, getting the bus to the pharmacy & hoping they’ll take them a hard slog at present.

I just wondered if anyone had found a company that do this for individuals, Thanks

 

[Robin]

Do you know if there is anything in your area like we have in West Oxfordshire, which is called Volunteer Link-up here? It matches people who have spare time, with people who need things done, and incudes anything from letter writing, shopping, changing lightbulbs, errands etc. I wondered if you could find a link to a volunteer who would take your bins to a pharmacy for you.

 

[Robert459]

I feel your pain. During the pandemic I had cardboard boxes of sharps bins with no idea what to do with them. Then my local council started a monthly collection service (thanks Jessica) and they took all my boxes and now just collect one sharps bin every month. Sorry, no help with your problem but some councils can manage to service their constituent's needs

 

[Flower]

Do you know if there is anything in your area like we have in West Oxfordshire, which is called Volunteer Link-up here? It matches people who have spare time, with people who need things done, and incudes anything from letter writing, shopping, changing lightbulbs, errands etc. I wondered if you could find a link to a volunteer who would take your bins to a pharmacy for you.

Thanks Robin, I hadn’t thought to see if there’s a volunteer service for helping with something like this.

I’m planning another expedition to the pharmacy tomorrow & will ask if they know of any group that’s collects/delivers to them.

 

[Flower]

I feel your pain. During the pandemic I had cardboard boxes of sharps bins with no idea what to do with them. Then my local council started a monthly collection service (thanks Jessica) and they took all my boxes and now just collect one sharps bin every month. Sorry, no help with your problem but some councils can manage to service their constituent's needs

Thanks @Robert459 I’m glad you have now got a system that works. It is such a worry having full sharps boxes filling cupboards.

I checked with my Council yesterday just in case it was a service they now provide but no joy. I’ll try my MP once more.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I checked with my Council yesterday just in case it was a service they now provide but no joy. I’ll try my MP once more.

Sorry to hear you are having such a runaround with sharps boxes @Flower

When I looked into this there seems to be a ridiculous postcode lottery about whether sharps bins are an easy straightforward service, or whether it’s a complete nightmare.

My understanding was that the legal duty for disposal fell to the local authority, but the straw poll I ran revealed many places have no clear system at all, and people are left in limbo with all parties saying it isn’t down to them

Sharps Bins? Easy or impossible.

For members who create ‘sharps’ as part of their diabetes management, I am interested in how easy or difficult the local authority in your area makes it to gather and dispose of these properly. I recently did a straw poll on Twitter and 42% of respondents either had no system in their area, or...

forum.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Leadinglights]

Thanks @Robert459 I’m glad you have now got a system that works. It is such a worry having full sharps boxes filling cupboards.

I checked with my Council yesterday just in case it was a service they now provide but no joy. I’ll try my MP once more.

You could try Rentokil or Initial to see if they collect from domestic premises.

 

[Flower]

Sorry to hear you are having such a runaround with sharps boxes @Flower

When I looked into this there seems to be a ridiculous postcode lottery about whether sharps bins are an easy straightforward service, or whether it’s a complete nightmare.

My understanding was that the legal duty for disposal fell to the local authority, but the straw poll I ran revealed many places have no clear system at all, and people are left in limbo with all parties saying it isn’t down to them

Sharps Bins? Easy or impossible.

For members who create ‘sharps’ as part of their diabetes management, I am interested in how easy or difficult the local authority in your area makes it to gather and dispose of these properly. I recently did a straw poll on Twitter and 42% of respondents either had no system in their area, or...

forum.diabetes.org.uk

Thanks @everydayupsanddowns for linking to your poll. It really does vary around the country.

It shouldn’t be so convoluted to get sharps collected safely.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thanks @everydayupsanddowns for linking to your poll. It really does vary around the country.

It shouldn’t be so convoluted to get sharps collected safely.

It really shouldn’t!

I have thought before that it’s something that DUK might be able to take up as a campaign, and put pressure on those areas which make it very difficult for people living there.

 

[AndyGlos]

It really shouldn’t!

I have thought before that it’s something that DUK might be able to take up as a campaign, and put pressure on those areas which make it very difficult for people living there.

I'll second that. I am fortunate that my local surgery prescribes, supplies and disposes. The problem comes when things are full and I can't get out or get someone to take a full bin to them.

My local Council (Stroud) have this statement on their website and a link to participating pharmacies:
Do not place any syringes, sharps and lancets in any general refuse sacks, recycling containers or rubbish bins - you may not only be risking your own health but that of the operatives that pick up the waste.

Using a yellow sharps box is the safest way to dispose of hypodermic needles, lancets and sharps. These are available on prescription from your local GP surgery or can be purchased directly from the pharmacy at a small cost. Once full, boxes must be returned sealed to either your local surgery or to one of the pharmacies in Gloucestershire participating in the take back scheme.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The problem comes when things are full and I can't get out or get someone to take a full bin to them.

My city council arranges collection of the old box and delivery of a new one. Bookable via an online form. It really couldn’t be easier.

 

[mitchsi]

but was told they couldn’t take them at that time as the person who dealt with them wasn’t there.

Hi Sorry to hear of this unfair position you’re in. The bloody mindedness in me thinks that the pharmacy is designated to take the sharps not the individual, the fact the individual is not there should not become your problem otherwise the service falls down. If the sharps bin is closed the unit becomes safe and can be left with anyone. I might have left it behind anyway.
It sounds a hassle for you to travel so it might be worth calling them before making that journey.
Good luck

 

[Flower]

Thanks @mitchsi I have just checked on the local Council site and it names all the pharmacies that take part in sharps bin collection. A few have 'Currently not accepting sharps until further notice' but the others show as accepting boxes so here goes another rucksack full!

 

[helli]

Thanks @mitchsi I have just checked on the local Council site and it names all the pharmacies that take part in sharps bin collection. A few have 'Currently not accepting sharps until further notice' but the others show as accepting boxes so here goes another rucksack full!

I am sorry you are struggling to get rid of your sharps.
I know this is not a laughing matter but your comment about your full rucksack made me picture a hiker with a huge pack, walking boots and sticks trudging from pharmacy to pharmacy and tipping out the contents of loose needles on the counter. Maybe a row of insulin pens strapped to the pack.

Sorry, for my humour and weird imagination. I hope you find that pharmacy counter you can empty your pack onto.

 

[Leadinglights]

My daughter works in a hospital pharmacy and she was saying they had had to get a licence to start taking them as people were just dumping them around the hospital site when they took them and were told, no we don't take them.

 

[Flower]

I am sorry you are struggling to get rid of your sharps.
I know this is not a laughing matter but your comment about your full rucksack made me picture a hiker with a huge pack, walking boots and sticks trudging from pharmacy to pharmacy and tipping out the contents of loose needles on the counter. Maybe a row of insulin pens strapped to the pack.

Sorry, for my humour and weird imagination. I hope you find that pharmacy counter you can empty your pack onto.

Very similar image to be fair @helli !
For walking sticks see crutches & for walking boots see plaster cast. The good news is the person on the counter could not have been nicer & took 6 boxes off me. I feel relieved to get some more boxes out of my house.

My insulin pump paraphernalia /sharps boxes storage wing is starting to look a bit emptier!

 

[mitchsi]

@Flower that’s great news.
I’m kinda fortunate here that the council will actually come round and swap boxes, not terribly reliable on set dates but nonetheless I’m not complaining about that and am grateful.
The diabetes gear can soon take up space as my wife likes to jokingly moan about 🙂