? Your disposal method/s for sharps

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Vet tech/s @ new clinic looked at me like had three heads. They wanted me to get a needle clippers.

I don't see the point. I don't mean to be a naysayer, but I don't follow the logic.

The needles get clipped off the syringe and held in a tray at the bottom of the clipper and then after 1,500 needles, throw the clipper away.

Ok.......what about the lancet?

In my brain, the tip placed on the used lancet has a way better chance of coming off and the lancet poking someone on the way to the landfill than the syringe cap coming off. Why don't the lancet tips get clipped? Didn't mean to be a horse's hind end, but I wanted to know why their way was better?

no..answer.......

Also, if the world is wanting to reduce toxic drizzle into the water and soil, the sharps container adds a layer if containment to any substance in the syringe. Trimming off the needle leaves a bigger opening to let matter out and not using a sharps container allows mixing in general trash.

I didn't want the needle clipper, but needles and clipper are sold at a single unit price point at the vet (read you pay for it if you take it or not) so I took it.

So, how do you dispose of needles, syringes and lancets in your part of the planet?

I'm still okay with the sharps container.

Oh, and a big deal was made about I couldn't bring them used needles for disposal. I looked and said, "I wasn't planning on it....."

It was a weird vet visit.
 
I get my strips and lancet from a human pharmacy. They give the container for free and dispose of it. I also bought the vet's container (for a fee) it is huge and they will take it to be disposed with your stuff.

And I just noticed from a flyer - my local eco station with take syringes for free if they are in a closed container.
 
Sharps container from walmart. $3. When it's full I close the lid, wrap the top in shipping tape, and put in my regular garbage. Where I live our garbage is incinerated.

My state (Alabama) has guidelines for using recycled containers such as from cleaning wipes/detergent/etc.

You can find guidelines for your state here: http://www.safeneedledisposal.org/search/
 
Yup, In Philadelphia, we can fill a plastic container (laundry soap, bleach bottle) with used needles and lancets and then wrap the container in something like newspaper, and then toss in trash!

Very easy!
 
In Ontario, Canada every pharmacy is obligated to take your sharpies; syringes, lancets, even half used insulin. I just use a litter bucket. I usually bend the needle back before re-capping it. I agree, what's the big deal. It's got to go somewhere and we're the responsible ones. Why on Earth do they want the needles clipped off? That's just asking for a tetanus shot. I understand they incinerate this stuff. If the temperatures high enough they can reduce anything to carbon. What do they do with amputated legs, tell the patient it's their problem. Sounds like your tech needs a refresher course in common sense. Speaking of saving the planet our local high school leaves their 80,000 watt football field lights on until 11PM. And I should drive a Prius? What a joke. Local Home Depot doesn't recycle batteries anymore, just encourages people to have it taken to the dump, like the inkjet printer which is cheaper to replace than buy new cartridges for. Something is
 
My vet said I could just take my sharps container to any pharmacy for disposal. And my syringe container has a sharps disposal container on the top, so it's super easy. Ask a pharmacy if they'll take them....where do human diabetics dispose of their sharps in your area?
 
I used the needle clipper, which cost almost nothing, and liked it. I would clip the syringe needle and then toss the syringe (and lancets) in the garbage. My county has this listed on their website:
  • Use a needle destruction device that clips the needle and allows you to throw the plunger in the garbage.
  • Use a sharps collection container (some offer a mail back label) or a stiff plastic container (laundry detergent bottle), sealed and marked with SHARPS before placing in garbage.
But every locality is different, so check to see what is legal in your town.
 
Caring4Claire said:
Sharps container from walmart. $3. When it's full I close the lid, wrap the top in shipping tape, and put in my regular garbage. Where I live our garbage is incinerated.

My state (Alabama) has guidelines for using recycled containers such as from cleaning wipes/detergent/etc.

You can find guidelines for your state here: http://www.safeneedledisposal.org/search/
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link. It says my county offer free containers and disposal. Which is great. The county is really active in keeping assorted things out of the landfill.
One county over, it's seems to be anything goes.
 
according to the link, my local hospital has 2 sharps events this year, july and october .. you bring in your full container and exchange it for an empty one .. there is another hospital a little further from me that you have to register for their sharps program .. i dont know if you can exchange a full for an empty but i will be calling to find out .. hoping my vet will take them once my boy is started on insulin
 
Used plastic orange juice 1/2 gallon container. It is good hard plastic. Takes 100+ needles and lancets.
 
I used a big mayo jar. I pressed the needle on the counter so they bent in half. Put the cap on and put in mayo jar. Put the lancers in also. When full my vet took them.

In regard to clipping Lancet tips. Not necessary. It's not the matter of poking someone. The reason you clip syringes is so if found in trash or washed up on some beach they can not be re used by addicts.
 
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