Hey -
How do you dispose of your used needles and similar stuff (epi-pens???). We take all these meds - and the pharmacy won't take it back. And you're not allowed to just throw this stuff in the trash.
Pip
Pip, I actually bought a small biohazard container that I put my needles in. I usually try to break the needle part off just to be safe. In the containers there are places you can do that. I tape the lid shut and put it in the regular garbage here.I do the same as Shelly...I called the company that takes our garbage and that is what they told me to do. Each town and garbage company is different though. I'd make a quick call to the town you live in and find out. If the garbage company wont take them I believe that the town you live in has to have a way for you to dispose of them.
When I started Enbrel, I just kept getting sharps containers sent to me in the mail. I have tons of them, in several sizes. I haven't turned any of them in yet, but my RD said I can just bring them to him.
Too bad I didn't know you needed one Pip. They're nice Chistmas red too. You could have stuck a green ribbon on it and PRESTO!! Their's your newest Christmas decoration.
If you want a free sharps container, go here:
http://www.totallyfreecrap.com/Archive/May07/sharp.htm
I ordered one last month, and haven't got it just yet. I imagine they do run out of them from time to time. So just don't bank on this one getting to your house any time soon. But still, you'd get one eventually. A free one is better than none, right? I was told to tape up the sharps container and dispose of it with the rest of our trash. Now that i have signed up for myhumira.com they send me sharps containers with a mailer to send back to them for disposal.In Ontario, Canada (not Ontario, California) we can return them to the pharmacist. My pharmacist also provides me the sharps container for free. I think it's done as a way to make sure that infected needles are destroyed properly.
Most of the drug companies have programs were they'll send you a "sharps case" (looks like a small gas can) that you can use to dispose of the syringes. You then mail them to the company and they mail you the emptied case. I use humira. You can get to them by visiting myhumira.com.
Good luck!
If anyone is on Humira, they will send you a container, label and box and you fill it, drop it off to the post office, it goes back to Abbott and they dispose of the whole thing. I am wondering if the other companies will offer the same thing if you go to their websites.
My Humira comes from Medco and whenever I re-order it-they ask if I need a Sharps container too. But they will not take back the full ones.
We need it for my hubby's diabetic needles. I'm so PO'ed. Apparently state law is the pharmacy has to take it back. But they don't. Solid waste said to throw it in the trash. I am not kidding. Hazardous Waste said to deliver it to the county. The county doens't know anything about it (so far). Yet this town won awards for it's syringe needle exchange. Let's see - if we were street drug users we'd be covered.
And I really don't see why we sick people have to pay to dispose of things that they're making a fortune on. CVS has a lot deeper pockets than I do.
Pip
Pip, I have the same problem here in Eastern WA. I decided that next time I go to see my sister in Seattle I will bring my full sharps container to the seedy part of town and look for a container for drug addicts needles. I just get the run around here when I call people.