Sharps disposal when travelling

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Lancer

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Hi all, I am going on a walking holiday in France for 7 days and carrying everything with me in a backpack. I have insulin pens and a Freestyle Libre. Does anyone have any recommendations for a small sharps disposal box that I can carry with me in my pack. It will need to hold around 40-50 used needles. Thanks everyone
 
Just use a water bottle
 
I use small juice bottles. The juice 'shot' bottles are about 60ml and hold 40 needles and 10 lancets.

Ketosticks containers hold about the same if you have any used ones around.

For reference, I found a 250ml bottle easily holds 160 needles and 50 lancets.

If you use a juice bottle, get one with thick plastic. Some are flimsier than others. I prefer wide-mouthed bottles. I've found needles can get stuck airways in narrow mouthed bottles.
 
Finn said:
I use small juice bottles. The juice 'shot' bottles are about 60ml and hold 40 needles and 10 lancets.

Ketosticks containers hold about the same if you have any used ones around.

For reference, I found a 250ml bottle easily holds 160 needles and 50 lancets.

If you use a juice bottle, get one with thick plastic. Some are flimsier than others. I prefer wide-mouthed bottles. I've found needles can get stuck airways in narrow mouthed bottles.
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Thanks, great idea, I'm just worried about carrying them back on the plane in my luggage if they're not in the proper "official" container. Not sure it would be a problem or not. Thanks anyway
 
Lancer said:
Thanks, that's a good idea, but I'm worried about bringing them back on the plane
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Tape it up and put it in the bin? Or stick the water bottle in your bag and bring it home. You don’t have to put needles in a special container to travel with them.
 
Lucyr said:
Tape it up and put it in the bin? Or stick the water bottle in your bag and bring it home. You don’t have to put needles in a special container to travel with them.
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Oh right, I'll do that. Thanks
 
I just use a sandwich bag when I'm on holiday and empty it into my sharps bin when I get home.
 
Do you have a sharps box for regular use at home. Is so should be able to order a travelling sharps box which you’ll be able to take with you. When I place an order for my sharps box to be collected I am able to order a replacement and can add a travel box then. This is done via the council website. Is this an option for you?
 
counsellorneil said:
Do you have a sharps box for regular use at home. Is so should be able to order a travelling sharps box which you’ll be able to take with you. When I place an order for my sharps box to be collected I am able to order a replacement and can add a travel box then. This is done via the council website. Is this an option for you?
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The regulations for sharps containers varies greatly.
Mine is available on prescription and only covers 4litre containers.

Like others, for many years, I have filled a water bottle with sharps which I decant into my sharps container when I get home.
If I have checked in luggage, this goes in there. When I travel with hand luggage only, I have never had a problem.
 
Lancer said:
Thanks, great idea, I'm just worried about carrying them back on the plane in my luggage if they're not in the proper "official" container. Not sure it would be a problem or not. Thanks anyway
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Regulations vary country by country. I live in Germany and I was told to put sharps in any hard plastic container for disposal. I buy sharps bins to use, but they're not required here.

I label the bottle 'sharps' when it's not an actual sharps bin. I do the same with used test strip tubs, which I use as mini sharps bins. They hold about 5 needles and a few lancets, so enough for a day out.
 
Martin62 said:
I just use a sandwich bag when I'm on holiday and empty it into my sharps bin when I get home.
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This is what I do too. A sandwich bag inside my diabetes ‘kit’. All the sharps involved in infusion site changes can be capped/sealed, so I feel like anyone would have to work hard to get a fingerstick injury.

There are also needle clippers which can take the needle parts off pen needles

www.bd.com

BD Safe-Clip™ needle clipping and storage device

Learn about the BD Safe-Clip™ needle clipping and storage device.
www.bd.com www.bd.com
 
When we are in Greece for our annual three week holiday i just pop the needles into a small, empty bottle of water or coke and then drop it into a landfill rather than a recyling skip.
There's next to no risk of an accidental needlestick injury from a used needle if it's been resheathed.
 
Lancer said:
I'm just worried about carrying them back on the plane in my luggage if they're not in the proper "official" container. Not sure it would be a problem or not.
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Just a thought - if you'll be getting a travel letter from your GP/Endo, they should include a bit saying you'll be travelling with sharps. My travel letter says that by default (it's a form letter in French, German and English with a list of items of items like insulin, needles and cool packs, and I just tick what I'll be travelling with), so maybe that's why I haven't been worried about carrying new and used sharps.
 
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