How to Dispose of Insulin Needles Properly

For Diabetic Lancets and Injectors

Feb 13, 2009 Tina Samuels

These are some of the better methods of getting rid of insulin needles and lancets the proper way.

Years ago many threw away their diabetic syringes, lancets, and needles in the trash. Some I’m sure are still doing it this way. However, one should never just throw needles into trash or any waste receptacles as it can be potentially dangerous. Many times these careless trash bags end up washed up on beaches or even worse, places that children may find them and play. There are many good ways to get rid of these devices where no one can get hurt and they cannot end up in places that they were never designed to be.

Sharps Containers

These are usually red and are seen in typical clinic rooms on the wall. Many do not realize that they can get these themselves to use to store their used diabetic syringes, lancets, and needles from insulin treatments. Two places that one can get free sharps containers are from Enliven and from Humira. These are two well respected companies and both send out free sharps containers, Humira offering free mail back disposal as well.

There are also many state and local offices that offer to take in sharps containers as well; do a little calling around to agencies in the area and see what they do and do not offer. Many of the health departments will offer this service to their community members. Some places even offer a device that will break or destroy the needles as they are being removed from use and put into the sharps container, but just having the needles and lancets in the sharps container is usually sufficient. The containers offer a method of “easy to get in, near impossible to remove” way of needle disposal.

Safe Air Tight Alternatives

If sharps containers are not readily available or too difficult to come by, the better secondary alternative is to take a good strong jar with a screw on cap and keep them in there. When full, screw the cap on very tightly and then tape with a strong tape (ducktape or strapping tape works well) and then keep in a bag or box until you can get somewhere to dispose of it (again, either at a state or local health agency). Some people use old coffee tins, and this is fine so long as the lids are taped well onto the container after they are done.

Keep in mind those alternatives to a sharps container is not the best way to dispose of insulin needles, diabetic lancets, and other finger pricking agents. Sharps containers are always going to be the forefront of disease and injury prevention where that is concerned.

For More Diabetic Information

Find out about choosing the right lancing device

Learn how to do accurate blood sugar readings

Find out if you can get free diabetic insulin and medications

The copyright of the article How to Dispose of Insulin Needles Properly in General Medicine is owned by Tina Samuels. Permission to republish How to Dispose of Insulin Needles Properly in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Sharps Container

Syringes

Comments

Mar 12, 2009 3:20 AM

Guest :

I break the needle off and put it in a coffee can and throw the syring in the trash. No sharps in the trash and hopefully by the time the can is full(in a hundred years) there will be a place to dispose of them. Noone in our area will take them.

Mar 12, 2009 5:22 AM

Tina Samuels :

Ask any doctor's office in your area if they will take them, or the health department. Typically one of the two of these will take them. I wish you luck, and good idea on only the needles in the coffee can!!

2 Comments