Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard has worked in the diabetes research field ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
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Do you dispose of used needles in a sharps container? Cancel reply
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The syringes are always disposed of in a sharps container, but some needles are not. I recently stated using a needle built into an insertion device that is quite large that I simply put the lid back onto and put into the waste.
In MLK County WA I dispose used syringes lawfully at designated county gov locations, thanks to Do No Harm, Drug Policy Alliance, et al. I put my used syringes in used plastic jugs. Then take to convenient location.
I do when I’m at home. When I’m traveling or staying with family they go into an empty plastic bottle.
The importance of using a sharp’s container was illustrated in a recent news article on our local recycling plant. Recycling is done by hand. The worker’s all wear thick work gloves, but still end up getting injured from things frequently. Ouch! Help them out. Do your duty. (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)👌
Yes, I use a sharps container for needles and syringes from pump cartridge fills and pen tip needles. I use an empty hard plastic flip top container from Clorox Wipes, and when full I seal up with lots of packing tape and bring it to the sharps disposal drop-off at a. nearby hospital. When traveling (hah – as in the days before COVID) I use a smaller travel size hard plastic flip-top container that fits into my luggage and keep it in a zip lock bag.
I recap the syringe break the needle off the syringe (no contamination issue as it was in me!) and dispose of the needle in that manner.
Although I selected that I always dispose of sharps in a sharps container that has only been over the last 20-25 years. Prior to that I used to snip off the sharp points and dispose of them in a sealed container in my regular household waste.
put the needle tips from my pens in an old sugar pills container. then bring it to work and empty it into a sharps container.
I use needles so infrequently now I don’t worry about it.
I work in a hospital so at home the sharps go I to an empty test strip bottle, then I dispose of the sharps at work, or when I go for a clinic appointment.
I put all needles in an an empty Tide container. When full I label with a sticker saying “Hazardous Contents”. Then I can dispose of the container. I have read that many Facebook friends do this.
Since going onto the Dex G6 I’ve switched too a 5 Gallon Sharps Container
Answering the question, I was thinking of a red ‘official’ sharps container and said “Rarely.” But following local regulations, we put them in a sealable hard plastic container, seal it tightly and dispose of in our regular trash. Where we used to live, we took the container to the fire house as that was the local sharps collection center.
Is trying to have A-sharp’s container for all of the needles we need to throw away is unrealistic financially.. I put them all into a heavy duty plastic lidded container and then tape it up good and mark it as medical waste.
I use pens – always dispose with needle cap on and pen lid. Anyone rifling through the trash would have to work hard to get stuck.
I use an old detergent bottle.
We do not use a sharps container. We use a laundry soap container.
I put the introducer needle from the varisoft infusion set plus the needle part of syringe used to fill the tandem cartridge into an empty laundry detergent bottle. If I ever fill one up again, I’ll duct tape it well closed, write “sharps” all over it, and send out with the trash (not recycling), the advice in our city. The dexcom inserter I figure to be adequately safe to just trash.
My answer is always for the needle used to fill my Tandem t:slim cartridge. For my infusion set, I use a needle clipper to remove and store the sharp needle end, then I use needle nose pliers to pull out the remainder of the needle, which I drop into my sharps container. The needle clip, once full, is supposed to go into a sharps container. I’ll have to figure out how to dispose of it when that time comes, as it’s too big to fit through the sharps container openings. I expect I’ll drop it off with my sharps containers when there is a medical waste collection event here that includes sharps container collection.
I recently switched from syringes to pens. The tips come with theiown canister.
I put mine in an old laundry detergent bottle.
I use a plastic detergent container.
I use a plastic detergent container also.
I use Medtronic infusion sets and the introducer needle folds back into itself when you’ve finished inserting it. The funny thing is i used those sets for years before I learned the fold feature!
I hadn’t thought of the Infusion set needle. I to just fold it over. Hmmm… Maybe I should be more careful.
I use a old glucose bottle.
I place them in an empty pill bottle. I do not use an official Sharps container
I usually do, but I don’t take one when I travel. I’ll ensure the needles are contained (covered, bent inside the cap, etc.) or put in a soda can/bottle or the like.
I did this before there were sharps containers.
I haven’t used needles since switching to a pump in 2000. I put used lancets (recapped) in the garbage.
I use a small pair of vise grips to pull the needle from the Tandem insert. I hold the spring mechanism while pulling the needle. Easy as pie. I should but don’t pull the needle from the G6 inserter. It is buried deep in the device. Perhaps I should, though I don’t see how anyone would get stuck. I am going to re-examine my position.
I think that a used detergent bottle. as far as this questions goes. is a “sharps container. If I use one, I duct tape the cap and put a sharps warning label on the bottle. These are available at my local hospital.
Sharps sticks are serious business and due consideration is owed those who handle these things.
I answered ‘Other’ because I don’t use a “Sharps Container” but an old juice bottle that’s puncture proof. All sharps are placed it in, when full the lid is placed on it & it’s taken in for proper disposal.
No. Capped water bottle marked.
I answered, Yes, I always put my used needles in a sharps container. But, for clarification, I use homemade sharps containers. I used to use empty bleach bottles that I taped closed when filled, and put a “Household Medical Waste” label on the bottles. Lately, I’ve been using laundry soap containers because the Dexcom G6 sensor installation device is too large to fit into a bleach bottle. I’ve started asking neighbors for containers with large openings because I do not use enough laundry detergent bottles to keep up with my sharps usage.
Up until last garbage pickup. Think WA Governor is shopping 4 midterm votes. Changed law, now can use 2 liter containers if label “sharpes”
I answered yes. However, the container I use is a V8 bottle. It’s thicker than most plus the mouth is large enough for used infusion and sensor hardware. When it’s full it’s taped, marked and tossed.
My sharps container is an empty gallon water jug. When full I close and wrap with duct tape and throw in trash.
Could Omnipods and Dexcoms be considered sharp containers in themselves?
Great question! Wondering the same about Dexcom… for pods, since the needle retracts, I’d say those are safe to dispose of in regular trash?
I use a BD device that clips and stores the needle part of the syringe or pen and stores it inside until full. Then I just throw away the rest of the syringe.
Use needles rarely. I bend the needle back and force the cap back on over it.
Our local recycling depot accepts sharps containers and provides a new on to take home. It is a state program of Indiana, I think.
New York did the same thing.
I always did in New York but here in Florida I have to buy a container and then pay again to send it back. I can’t afford additional expense for this disease.
http://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/biomedical-waste/home-management-of-sharps.html
This describes options, with counties varying but all seemingly allowing an “if all else fails” possibility.
I imagine most respondents are aware of this, but state department of health websites provide information on approved methods.
In my State I can dispose of sharps in a hard plastic container then I must write “sharps” on the container and say “do not recycle”. I can then dispose of in trash.
I use my own container, so I am careful of the disposal— but curiosity prompts me whom/what are we protecting — from danger of being pricked? When I dispose of broken glass I am also extra careful to keep anyone handing it from injury —even animals/birds on the dump. Are we fearful of drug users reusing the syringes?They could do worse!
Anyhow — would welcome some information on the subject of DISPOSAL OF SHARPS.
I’m on a pump and have used various infusion sets but mostly Silhouettes for the last 15 years. They do have a long needle that I put in a BD Sharps container. I bought a case of 12 of them years ago and still have some. THey take forever to fill up! I have occasionally used syringes when my set was bad. I put the cap back on and then snap off the top so I’m not putting the entire syringe in the container. I use Accu-Chek lancing devices that have 6 lancets per drum and I rarely change it. When I do actually use a whole drum it goes in the sharps container.
Yes, I always use a marked sharps container. In the past I would take filled containers to my clinic appointments, but they’re no longer accepting them, nor are the hospitals. I just bought a heavy-duty 5 gallon BD sharps container from the pharmacy.They were previously accepting the smaller filled BD sharps containers and providing free replacements, but not any longer. When this new huge container is filled I’m not sure who will take it. City and County rules mandate that all sharps and bio-hazard materials don’t go in the trash and end up in the landfill, but don’t say where to take them.
I use empty milk cartons . When full I cap ,and Kaiser here in California has disposal containers by the pharmacy for such stuff. Makes it very easy.
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I use an empty apple juice plastic bottle but I am considering that a sharps container for this question as I have never gotten an actual container made for sharps disposal. If I am lazy and don’t put the used lancet in a container, I at least use the cap that attaches to the lancet so there is no longer a metal lancet needle sticking out.
I am able to get it replaced at any pharmacy, so it’s easy and convenient. A relative, who lives in another city, actually has to take filled containers to a police station to drop off – Not convenient or practical for many.
I don’t “buy” sharps containers as they don’t fit my pump supply stuff. I use old Laundry Detergent, Fabric Softener, and Bleach bottles with really large screw on caps that allow to put my sharps in them. I label with a sharps sticker the county gives out and take them to the sharps disposal site.
As some others have mentioned below, I use old laundry detergent bottles and label as sharps. Takes a long time to fill, but when I do I take to the hazardous waste collection, where we take batteries, chemicals etc.
I use old coffee containers with a tool tocut the needle and a separate container for that.
When our daughter was diagnosed, we were living in Asia and the doctors suggested we use a clear plastic water bottle to collect sharps. We’ve been doing that for 6 years now and deposit the full ones at our doctor’s office.