Disposal of Needles

How do you dispose of your needles? We got a letter from our trash
company that "medical supplies used for blood testing and needles" are
not to be disposed of in the trash.

I have just been saving them all up in an old milk jug, but it’s
getting full.

I thought I might take them to the doctor’s office. Maybe I can drop
them off there?

10 Responses to “Disposal of Needles”

  1. Saul Ma Says:

    Our Hospital, Providence, will take my needles and like your milk jug, it
    doesn’t have to be a fancy container. They mention an old 2-liter soda bottle:)

    I would bet that taking the needles and disposing of them is true for many
    hospitals around the country.

    It was the out-patient lab where I saw the sign out here, so you might want to
    give them a call.

    Melodie

    I have just been saving them all up in an old milk jug, but it’s
    getting full.

    I thought I might take them to the doctor’s office. Maybe I can drop

    them off there?

  2. Fidel Eleanore Says:

    When my Dr. prescribed the Byetta he said that I could go to the local hospital
    (I forget which department) and get one of those disposal units you see at your
    doctors office for free. And that when you fill it up, you just bring it back to
    the hospital and they will exchange it.

    Rich

    How do you dispose of your needles? We got a letter from our trash
    company that "medical supplies used for blood testing and needles" are
    not to be disposed of in the trash.

    I have just been saving them all up in an old milk jug, but it’s
    getting full.

    I thought I might take them to the doctor’s office. Maybe I can drop

    them off there?

  3. Goldie Rana Says:

    Not all hospitals will do that for you (but one of our local hospitals will
    dispose of used needles/lancets free of charge if you bring them in an
    approved container). Wal*Mart carries the home sharps container and they
    run about $5 each.

  4. Patricia Petty Says:

    In the state of Tennessee, they require that you use an opaque jug,
    preferably an old bleach jug. When it is full you tape the lid down and
    write on the jug "Do Not Recycle". If you write biohazard on the jug it has
    to be burned which incurs an extra charge, which is why they say just to
    write do not recycle with a permanent marker. Some Dr.s offices will take
    them, but as i say, they incur extra charges so i think they would pass that
    charge on to you. My Dr charges $3 for bringing them to him. I just use
    the bleach bottle.

    Demetria-Beth

    _____

    How do you dispose of your needles? We got a letter from our trash
    company that "medical supplies used for blood testing and needles" are

    not to be disposed of in the trash.

    I have just been saving them all up in an old milk jug, but it’s
    getting full.

    I thought I might take them to the doctor’s office. Maybe I can drop
    them off there?

  5. Patricia Petty Says:

    Michael…

    Do you then just throw the container in the Trash? My state charges extra.
    Because they have to be burned. I am going to walmart today, i think i’ll
    check and see if i can find them. What area are they in?

    Demetria-Beth

    _____

    Not all hospitals will do that for you (but one of our local hospitals will
    dispose of used needles/lancets free of charge if you bring them in an
    approved container). Wal*Mart carries the home sharps container and they
    run about $5 each.


    > just bring it back to the hospital and they will exchange it.

  6. Goldie Rana Says:

    I don’t think Alaska has a law regarding medical waste disposal but I know
    that Anchorage (where I live) does. At home I use a sharps container but
    when I’m on the road, I usually don’t have anything with me. Before
    starting Byetta, I just tossed the lancet by capping it with the cover from
    a new one like others have suggested and tossed them in the trash but now
    that I’m using the pen needles, I’ve had to go on two business trips and one
    hotel had sharps disposal at the front desk, the other didn’t and they
    looked at me like I was from another planet when I inquired about it. As
    for the sharps container disposal, there is a clinic in town operated by
    Providence Health Systems and they will let you drop them off for free but
    if I take to my doctor’s office of dispose of them at my work, I would be
    charged for the incineration and handling fee. I’m mainly concerned about
    the safety of the hotel workers handling my pen needles due to another
    blood-borne disease that I have. Guess I’ll give the soda bottle a try - at
    least it would offer some extra protection.

  7. marylin_20 Says:

    It looks like a few of you live in Alaska. Im jealous! Whats it like there?
    Besides a high cost of living that is. I want to go on an alaskan cruise
    before I leave this earth. Ev

    **************************************

  8. Saul Ma Says:

    Alaska was just featured on the Travel channel’s 1000 places to see before you
    die special last Thursday.

    I love living in Alaska! In Anchorage, where I am out, our summers are pretty
    temperate (usually high 60’s to low 70’s. Once in a while higher.) and same
    with our winters–not counting this one where it has been COLD!!!! In
    Anchorage, we don’t get as much snow as say New York does.

    You are less than 30 minutes from the great outdoors and there is plently of
    wildlife that roams into town but since I moved here in 83 that has gotten less.

    Melodie

    [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

  9. Fidel Eleanore Says:

    The Travel Channel actually did a program for the 1000 places to see before you
    die? Wow, that must be for the rich (1000? Who has that much time or money?). I
    can barely afford to go to Fort Lauderdale once a year! And if gas prices are
    going to be as predicted, that might change to Seaside Heights!

    Rich

    Alaska was just featured on the Travel channel’s 1000 places to see before you
    die special last Thursday.

    I love living in Alaska! In Anchorage, where I am out, our summers are pretty
    temperate (usually high 60’s to low 70’s. Once in a while higher.) and same with
    our winters–not counting this one where it has been COLD!!!! In Anchorage, we
    don’t get as much snow as say New York does.


    You are less than 30 minutes from the great outdoors and there is plently of
    wildlife that roams into town but since I moved here in 83 that has gotten less.

    Melodie

    [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

    [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

  10. Saul Ma Says:

    Yeah. I would have liked to be one of the folks in the couple they chose to do
    the stories. I guess they are from Colorado and got a four month all expenses
    paid trip to see all these places. I would have taken time off of my job to do
    this–all they had to do is ASK!!!!

    And considering I practically live at my job, that says A LOT. HA HA.

    Melodie

    Rich

    Alaska was just featured on the Travel channel’s 1000 places to see before you
    die special last Thursday.

    I love living in Alaska! In Anchorage, where I am out, our summers are pretty

    temperate (usually high 60’s to low 70’s. Once in a while higher.) and same with
    our winters–not counting this one where it has been COLD!!!! In Anchorage, we
    don’t get as much snow as say New York does.

    You are less than 30 minutes from the great outdoors and there is plently of
    wildlife that roams into town but since I moved here in 83 that has gotten less.

    Melodie

    [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

    [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

    [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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