Sharps Container

[akafearless]

Where?

Where or what do you all do with the full Sharps containers?
Every place I have talked to does not want them.

[terie-tk]

I checked with my trash collection

and as long as they are in a container that is completely sealed, I can put them in my regular trash collection.

But you have to check with your individual area collection, as it isn't the same everywhere.

[Bob698]

Where or what do you all do with the full Sharps containers?
Every place I have talked to does not want them.

That can be a bit of a hassle.
You have to check with your local waste services provider and probably with city hall. In truth, many locations will have no clue what you're talking about or worse, no plan for dealling with old needles that held bio-active substances that many consider a mild form of chemo.
I wound up tossing the responsability into my Neuro's lap.
I mentioned to her office that my town had no real plan for dealling with this stuff and what the heck was I supposed to with the junk from the Rx *she* prescribed?

It worked, I can drop off my full Sharps at her office or the lab they use.

[Bob698]

Almost forgot, if you get your meds through a local pharmacy you can also ask them. Some chains have a disposal policy for sharps if you got the Rx thru them.

[chalknpens]

state requirement: caps left off

Interesting debate here about the caps ... the Shared Solution nurse who came to get me started four years ago told me that my state requires that caps not be put back on the syringe after use ... she handed me a formal page of requirements, and that was in bold print.

I take my sharps container to the local firehouse ... they add it to their collection bin for such.

I ask for a sharps container from the mail order pharmacy that send me the DMD. They always send it free.

And I did get the BD needle clipper from Walgreens, but I would caution you that our needles are longer than the diabetic needles those clippers are made for ... and it leaves a very short piece on the end of the syringe ... so I put the cap back on it to protect whoever might handle it.

[Nikkizilla]

I never replace the cap, my nurse even instructed me not to. Also, I don't have the strongest fine motor skills, so I don't think i'd fair well trying to replace the cap, i'd be full of holes lol I just throw them directly in the sharps container and use duct tape to make sure the lid stays tightly sealed before disposing of the container.

[Madeleinemom]

I have always capped my empty (Betaseron) syringes and then drop them in the Sharps container.

In the beginning (2007), I had a real problem to dispose of the full Sharps containers - NOBODY wanted them Had to wait for a periodic hazmat collection point set up by the county.

That changed (Thank You) about two years ago - now our local Police station has a collection spot for medical hazmat waste - yeahh!

[twisterred]

Our local hospital will accept full Sharps containers.
Maybe a call to them can help anyone looking for options.

PS(Thanks for the cap off lesson and suggestion to ask my pharmacist about getting BD clips)

[Camsue]

I cap my syringes out of habit.

I had the same problem finding a place to exchange the full containers. A couple of years ago the hospital started exchanging full containers for empty ones...so much nicer now!

[Nabbosa]

Syringe disposal

I also use the BD clip. I ordered it through a hospital pharmacy for around US$5, but heard it is also available through some medical supply places. I've used the same one for almost 3 years with Betaseron (every other day injections) and it doesn't feel full yet.

Just for peace of mind, I then put the tip of the syringe where the needle had been into the sharps container. I dissemble the syringe and recycle the parts that can be recycled, and throw away the others.

In my area, I can recycle parts of the syringe. The interferon decomposes very quickly - that's why the instructions tell you to use it within a certain amount of time after preparing the injection. Otherwise, it is also a component of a healthy immune system.

I also feel better about taking apart the syringe because nobody can find a whole syringe in the dump to reuse for shooting up.

Then again, I know many don't have the dexterity in their hands to do that.

Another plug for the BD clip: it's great for travel. It fits in the auto-injector case without any problem. It's smaller than two fingers put together (and I have small hands).

[cosake]

Just an FYI to others here that I started Copaxone last night and the nurse gave me a BD Clip with the Copaxone label on it. She said they started giving them out in June during training sessions.

I would think that anyone on Copaxone could call and request one ?

I think the nurse said it will hold at least 1200 needles . . . so about 4 years if doing Copaxone every day. Then it is a very small unit that can go to your doctor or hospital for disposal instead of a big sharps container.

Amazon's website shows them for $ 7.98.

[Skinny]

Shared Soultions gave me a clipper free with all the rest of the stuff they give! That Co is awsome!
I havent used it yet but if and when I travel I will take it and use it. Its pretty cool!
I just dump my needle un capped into the jug. The cap normal gos into the trsh because I too use the autoinject2

[phoebe.]

I never recap a used needle, for safety reasons. But I do know that many veterinarians will do this, and remove the needle from the syringe too before putting in the sharps container (to save space).

I use the BD-clip when traveling. It's a great little device!

[fixitgal88]

Re-Cap or Not to Re-cap?

I've decided NOT to recap my needles any longer, because I did stick myself through the cap. The Copax needle is pretty thin and bent sideways thru the cap -hence, needle stick. That was a painful stick let me tell ya!

As for the Sharps containers, your local health department SHOULD accept those and dispose of them for you. I've tried hospitals, dr's, fire departments, etc, and they wouldn't take them. Ask, though some charge like a $4 fee for disposal, some don't.
I am, however, going to check out the needle clippers.

[cosake]

I use the BD clip that the Copaxone nurse gave me, every night - it will last about 4 years using it every day, and takes up very little space. Less than $ 10 to buy from Amazon.

Much easier to store and manage than a Sharps container. I bet most of your doctors would take that little unit in to be disposed of, compared to a Sharps container.