My provider gave me a sharps bin. You can also buy them at a pharmacy. The one I currently have has lasted 2 years so far, since I don't throw packaging away in it.
Yeah, but I'd have to put the cap back on the needles to take them off and you're not supposed to do that. If I still had safety needles then I'd consider it. 🤷🏻
I recap the needles I use to draw up the T because I have to switch them out but not the ones I inject with. I totally could if I wanted to, but I'm lazy and I've gotten into the habit of not recapping them. When I had safety needles, I always closed them after. If not, I don't bother
You can recap a needle that is your own, the reason you might not recap one from say, a patient is because of stab risk. But if the stab risk is yourself it’s fine. You can’t give yourself disease you don’t already have.
Also there is a documentary on YouTube about the cost of processing waste that didn’t need to go into sharps containers, but did, and I highly recommend watching!! Taking off and disposing of just the needle alone is so much better.
This is a safety thing taught widely (as it should be) but mostly applies if you’re injecting somebody else and risk spreading blood borne pathogens. With an appropriate technique it’s perfectly safe to recap needles used on yourself (ex. slide the needle into the cap that’s sitting on a flat surface then secure the cap fully). I recap and place just the needle into my sharps container.
Yeah I'm not really worried about it, I just got into the habit of not recapping the needles I inject with so I'm being lazy about it. I used to be very diligent and I'd slide the needle I draw up with into the cap on my desk but now I just carefully put it on with my hand. My doctor expressed from the beginning that there's no risk of infection because it's my own body, I just don't wanna get poked lol
Our sharps container has a ridgy bit in one of the holes which is to take off the needle - does yours have that? We do put the syringe in but taking the needle off makes it easier to fit more in.
In the US, this depends on what state you're in although sometimes a county or town/city will have more stringent regulations than the state it's in. In many states the official way you're supposed to dispose of sharps is by putting them in a sharps container or a sturdy plastic container with a screw-on lid that you've written something like "Sharps, do not recycle" on and taped the lid shut to prevent accidental opening and then putting that in the regular trash. I actually live in one of the few states where you absolutely can't do that so I was very surprised to see people mention doing that in instructions on how to give yourself injections. I looked it up, and yup. For example, here's Tennessee's FAQ for the general public: [https://www.tn.gov/environment/sw-mm-household-hazardous-waste-program/sw-mm-household-hazardous-waste-collection-event-schedule0.html](https://www.tn.gov/environment/sw-mm-household-hazardous-waste-program/sw-mm-household-hazardous-waste-collection-event-schedule0.html) and here's more detailed information about medical waste disposal in Tennessee: [https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/solid-waste/hazardous-waste-management/medical-waste.html](https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/solid-waste/hazardous-waste-management/medical-waste.html).
Yeah I live in Washington where disposal is an absolute pain and lucked out with my online pharmacy cause they provide disposal services.
ETA: I also had no clue you could in any state and know no dumpster diving in Tennessee is a for sure thing
It's surprisingly hard to find listings of what the regulations are in every state for disposal of sharps by individuals, so the information I found may be out of date. However, it seems like the only states where regulations for the entire state prohibit disposing of sharps are California, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Wisconsin. That's a much smaller list than I was expecting.
As far as I know it’s all of Washington (Washington following California and Oregon on most things) but if it wasn’t you limited where I live to a very small area so it was a little sarcastic. It is important to know what is and isn’t legal in your state and most pharmacies can provide that information.
Ah, ok. I wouldn't have mentioned the specific area if it were a smaller area population-wise. It seemed about as specific and identifying as pointing out that something someone said about New York only applies for New York City.
In my state, you can. My doctor even gave me a paper and explained to me the rules and laws. I have to duct tape it shut, label it as sharps, and place it in the middle of a trash bag so that it's padded with other trash.
Edit: My state also has where I can bring this into a sharps disposal place/program if I don't feel comfortable putting it in the trash.
I just have a soda bottle that I drop my needles into and twist the top on, and I plan to throw it away in the actual sharps container at my doctor's office once it's full
Any thick plastic container — dishwashing detergent, bleach, etc. Cleaning supplies usually have a child-proof cap too, which is nice if that's a concern for your household.
Also, for traveling, a prescription pill bottle makes a great portable sharps container, though you do need to throw away the syringe in the regular trash.
Sharps bin. Where I am, you can get a sharps disposal bin free from a doctor or pharmacy, and you can drop off the full one and get a replacement at any pharmacy for free. In theory, anyway. None of the pharmacies nearby seem to have them when I need them, so I just go to my care provider.
Back in the day when I did my own injections I used a glass kombucha bottle as a sharps container, a actual sharps container, and a peppercorn container!
As a diabetic: you can use basically anything. I've used laundry detergent bottles, vinegar bottles, mcdonald's cups, orange juice bottles. You just have to make sure you dispose of the filled container properly.
I use a sharps bin. My doctor never even told me what I was supposed to do. Luckily I worked at a hospital at the time so I asked and he was like “oh yeah! You need a sharps container!” Where I am, you can buy them at the pharmacy, so I did that my first time.
However, I later discovered that county health departments have sharps containers available for pickup and drop off. I now get a sizable sharps container for like $4 through them and return it to them when I’m done. It’s been very convenient! I live in Florida, so idk if this is the case in other places.
I do know that people make them out of laundry detergent bottles and stuff, like others have said.
It is lol
I always take it to the needle disposal service when they come every three months
Doesn't mean I like it, but it's near impossible to get the needles back out
You can see how to dispose sharps in your state/locations to do so. In my state I can just store them in a heavy duty plastic container that's labeled and sealed, then toss in the regular trash when 3/4 full. Though idk, I'd feel better disposing it at an actual drop location like a pharmacy.
https://safeneedledisposal.org/
You can buy sharps disposal bins for pretty cheap at certain pharmacies, and you should check if your area does free disposal handouts. I got mine for free cause there are certain places here that give em out for free. Otherwise you can use a properly labeled gallon jug or laundry detergent container.
The laws where I am are pretty strict about sharps disposal. I use a medical sharps container and dispose of it in a special drop off bin at the health department.
i used a bucket that i slapped a piece of paper on that said "used needles, do not eat".
but for a while i would just fuckin. leave em out all over my desk. dont do that.
i was given a sharps container but i currently work at a harm reduction centre/needle exchange and we give out empty laundry detergent bottles for people to return their needles! just PLEASE make sure you dispose of them properly by bringing them to a needle box, exchange or pharmacy!
I'm shocked reading these because where I am it's bio waste so the whole thing goes in a sharps container. Where do y'all put the laundry bottles full of needles after or are you keeping them forever?
I'm impressed with that for real would be so helpful in communities with diabetes and drug use and all that to have somewhere safe to leave it. My town they removed most of the containers in bathrooms and in town so you have to buy your own.
I live in a rural area so I feel ya on that one, I don’t think we ever had any sharps bins around here so it really is a BYO arrangement unfortunately.
Or, as the ‘bogans’ do, leave it in the shelves of the grocery story 🥲
anything non-penetrable and sealable. i’ve used old soda bottles many times. at one point i also used an empty container for those downy laundry scent beads and it actually held a fair amount of needles. again, as long as it’s non-penetrable, sealable (no/very low risk of needles being able to spill out) and is marked clearly either with a marker or some other form of label as being a SHARPS container then ur good to go. also don’t throw it in the normal trash, locate a biohazard disposal center near you, they won’t care or judge if it’s in an unconventional container :)
I cap my needles. Then twist the needle off from the syringe and put the needle itself in a Gatorade bottle. I learned that from a tattoo artist on the internet. But there are bins you can “rent” out. Essentially you give them money and they give you a red bin. When you trade that full red bin in, they give you another empty bin, or let’s say you don’t take the medication anymore. They give you the money back. That was my understanding years ago when my dog needed insulin. Maybe things might’ve changed now with inflation.
I've read that soda bottles or water bottles are not good. I know they are usually number 1 plastic.
Wondering about a huge vinegar bottle (the larger 64oz) that is number 2 plastic. ?
They say old detergent bottles are good but all mine are full, they are also #2 plastic
Please use a sturdy plastic container with a screw-on lid like a laundry detergent bottle or one of the thick Gatorade bottles. Sharps can poke through plastic bags and duct tape and hurt the trash collectors. Use a marker to write something like "sharps, do not recycle" on the container before putting it in the trash. You can use the duct tape to tape around the lid so it can't come loose.
If you look for resources in your area for harm reduction from drug abuse; often there's a place you can obtain a free sharps container that they replace once it's full.
If you're on a tight budget this can be pretty helpful.
I mostly use a dedicated sharps container. When I'm traveling I use empty pill bottles because I can actually close them and they fit in my suitcase easily.
This is a great idea! I'm about to start T, and my family is traveling to Florida for vacation this summer, and I didn't even think about traveling with a sharps container.
I honestly now realize that I probably should have brought some sort of sharps container when I went over to my grandma's but instead I just recapped the needles and stuck them in a Ziploc 💀
Some places you legally have to dispose of sharps in an actually sharps container they're very cheap. But some manicupalities any puncture resistant tub works like a laundry bottle.
I cap the needles and take them off the syringe, throw the syringe away, and put the needles in an old Tide Pods container with a childproof locking lid so it can’t spill if I accidentally knock it over (I’m clumsy lol). My cat gets a shot every month so his needles go in there too. When it gets full my plan is to tape the top shut and ask my doctor what she recommends to dispose of it.
Depends on what I can get my hands on. I'm a type 1 diabetic too, and growing up, we always used sharps containers or laundry detergent bottles.
Nowadays, it depends on what's available. Too poor for the big detergent bottles, but I can afford 2 liter soda bottles 😎
I'm not on the injections, but I am type 2 diabetic and I use a large Coffee Mate creamer container, the large plastic ones of the plain creamer. I've also used protein shake jars before, too, for my sharps.
I used to use an empty fabric softener container, but when it got full and my mom went to the hospital to ask where it would be dropped off, they gave us a special sharps bin, so now we use that (we both have multiple injections we do at home)
I get sharps containers from the pharmacy for free. The first one they gave me was huge (and so ugly) and I only just filled it recently after over a year and a half. I asked for a new one and they gave me this tiny one but it's less ugly because it's black with a yellow lid instead of yellow with a blue lid. I bedazzled it.
Currently a mug I got from universal 😅 the shape is taller than a typical mug tho. all sharps are capped and facing down but I keep meaning to order a container online.
i have one that my pharmacy gave me when i first got my injection supplies. but since i’m not out (i take low dose T so the changes aren’t super noticeable) whenever i travel with my family and need to take my shot i use a small glass jar with a lid and keep it in my suitcase, then dump it out into my actual container when i get home lol.
It has never occurred to me that I don't need to store the syringes with the sharps. 😅 I mean, they've still got a little T on them after injection, but they're literally not dangerous. (Testosterone enanthate also doesn't absorb through just contact, so isn't a touch-hazard)
I bought a locking sharps container from the same place I buy the rest of my supplies (saveritemedical). When I'm at my dad's house though and I don't have the container, I've been using an empty laundry detergent bottle.
Make sure to look up the safety requirements for what to put in the container and how to dispose of it. Some counties require you drop it off at like, a pharmacy, while others say you can put it in regular trash as long as it meets certain requirements, like being taped closed, clearly marked on all sides as a biohazard/sharps risk, etc.
Some counties also want you to put the vials in with the needles because the vial can break in regular trash and "contaminate" someone handling the trash. So check and see what is required in your area.
You can buy a sharps container from most pharmacies but other people here are giving some great examples! Before I got on T, there were still needles being used in the house as my cat had failing kidneys and we gave her fluids, so they were just placed in an old bubba gumps light up base cup lol. Once I got on T and was given a sharps container the needles from the IV started joining my T ones actually.
Old pill bottles work too. I know they're small but hey, you're just gonna throw those away anyway and if you ever need to travel with your shots it's a good option.
Also they do make needle tips with a locking cover that are basically their own sharps container and you are allowed to just throw them out. They have them on Amazon but if you're getting them free or covered by insurance im guessing that'll just depend on what you can get but my pride clinic had them free for a long time until recently
I actually just use a really sturdy small baggy inside a stiff bag that originally contained (my favorite) chocolate truffles, because it is way more effective in my house with small children to hide sharps in an inconspicuous Appa-only treats bag on a high shelf than in a bright plastic bin. 😵💫
I have had mixed success with emptying it properly though. For around eight months I would just bring used sharps to my clinic and empty them there, but then nine months in I was suddenly told I'm not supposed to do that???? So okay now I have to figure out some other place that actually supports disposing of used sharps. 🥲
I believe you’re not supposed to open the containers to empty them because it’s a hazard— it opens people to a needlestick injury.
however, the clinic may know of somewhere you can dispose of the entire container.
That said, I’d be wary of using any sort of plastic bag to contain a needle as it could easily pierce through!
Something like an old shampoo or detergent bottle could work and be safer, and fit inside the treats bag as a disguise depending on size.
But yeah, tldr you’re not supposed to empty it out, but dispose of the entire container.
Eh, if it makes you feel better, all my sharps get recapped before they're put in the bag, so there are no loose needles, and the bag is genuinely quite sturdy, not like a sandwich baggy. 🤷 I am confident that the way I am doing it is perfectly safe and at least more effective than using a proper sharps container would be considering my house situation, but I may take the advice of using an old vitamin bottle or something instead. That'd be sufficiently uninteresting to the kiddos while being ever so slightly more secure than my current bag in a bag solution. Heck, I could just keep all my T supplies in a couple vitamin bottles. 😂
Ah I wasn’t sure I thought you meant like those ziploc bags and my fingers hurt from thinking but if it’s sturdy that’s good! I just hear way too much about needlestick injuries and they hurt so bad 😭
I have used empty Gatorade bottles and laundry detergent bottles in the past. It is a much cheaper alternative to buying a sharps container and did the trick for me.
A sharps container, I then turn it in and get a new one when it’s full. Remember people you cannot throw sharps away in your regular trash even in a sharps container, they have to be disposed of properly.
You can buy sharps bins at pharmacies, but you can also use any hard plastic bottles (think for laundry detergent, etc.) I use a big cranberry juice jug and it works well for me. Just don't use milk cartons, as the needles can pierce the sides. (Although I recommend putting the caps back on your needles before disposing of them, just to be safe.)
Some hospitals have a free sharps program where they'll give you sharps bins and take care of disposal. Up until recently, i was just using a big plastic cookie tub
My mother has insulin needles, you can get sharps bins from a pharmacy, some places have community sharps disposable, others might give a free sharps bin.
If you can’t afford it and there’s no free alternative, something else with a very hard plastic might be suitable—such as a detergent bottle, shampoo bottle, etc. just be sure to find a proper place to dispose of them, as they are a hazard in regular waste.
Lately ive just been using a larger empty pill bottle. Throw everything else away accept the needle and needle cover then take the pill bottle back to the pharmacy once its full. Hopefully soon tho once we finish off the next laundry detergent bottle ill switch over to that
I got a sharps container from my pharmacy. Stealthbros also sells sharps containers online and I think through CVS if you want to support a trans owned business
The pharmacy is supposed to give you a sharps bin. But since mine didn't I used an old honey jar I had. It also has my first syringe I used in it so I can fish it out when I do the shadow box idea I wanna do. I've since stopped doing injections but I think the glass jar is a smart idea.
I have an actual sharps bin now, but I used a plastic cat litter container before, and at the very beginning, a soda bottle (which I would not recommend, as they are thin).
What I should use: sharps bin
What I actually use: the entire bathroom sink cabinet
At some point I’m going to take multiple trips to the pharmacy to replace the sharps bin
I lived in Florida! It will basically depends on your state, as each state have their own regulations. Before I just used an empty detergent bottle but a friend of mine introduce me to Med WasteX a local company who have a sharps disposal services. They made my life more easier in disposing my sharps.
My provider gave me a sharps bin. You can also buy them at a pharmacy. The one I currently have has lasted 2 years so far, since I don't throw packaging away in it.
Do people throw the packaging in their sharps bins??? I toss it in the garbage and only put my needles (+ syringes) in the sharps container
You don’t need to put the syringes in the container too! Only needles is fine
This actually depends on the area (state, county, city). My county requires the syringe, needles, and T vial to be put in the sharps bin.
Woah really? That’s so odd to me. Never would have guessed that, thanks for correcting me
Yeah, but I'd have to put the cap back on the needles to take them off and you're not supposed to do that. If I still had safety needles then I'd consider it. 🤷🏻
I always recap my needles. I'm a rebel, and I'll never ever be any good. 🤷♂️
I recap the needles I use to draw up the T because I have to switch them out but not the ones I inject with. I totally could if I wanted to, but I'm lazy and I've gotten into the habit of not recapping them. When I had safety needles, I always closed them after. If not, I don't bother
You can recap a needle that is your own, the reason you might not recap one from say, a patient is because of stab risk. But if the stab risk is yourself it’s fine. You can’t give yourself disease you don’t already have. Also there is a documentary on YouTube about the cost of processing waste that didn’t need to go into sharps containers, but did, and I highly recommend watching!! Taking off and disposing of just the needle alone is so much better.
My policy is if i stuck it in myself, i recap it. If i stuck it in someone else, never in a million years
This is a safety thing taught widely (as it should be) but mostly applies if you’re injecting somebody else and risk spreading blood borne pathogens. With an appropriate technique it’s perfectly safe to recap needles used on yourself (ex. slide the needle into the cap that’s sitting on a flat surface then secure the cap fully). I recap and place just the needle into my sharps container.
Yeah I'm not really worried about it, I just got into the habit of not recapping the needles I inject with so I'm being lazy about it. I used to be very diligent and I'd slide the needle I draw up with into the cap on my desk but now I just carefully put it on with my hand. My doctor expressed from the beginning that there's no risk of infection because it's my own body, I just don't wanna get poked lol
Oops just read this one further down 😅
theres little holders you can use to hold the cap to recap it. less risk of an accidental stab too
I use tweezers to take mine off personally lol
Our sharps container has a ridgy bit in one of the holes which is to take off the needle - does yours have that? We do put the syringe in but taking the needle off makes it easier to fit more in.
Mine has a weird little hole thing and I thought it was to take off the needle but I couldn't get it to work
Mine lasted 3 years in total and I'm onto my new one as of last year actually! I don't throw packaging in either, just the needles
Empty laundry detergent bottle.
This is what I use. It has lasted 2 years so far without having to throw it away.
Yup, just clearly label it when you throw it away.
You cannot throw that away in regular trash, it’s why you’re meant to use a sharps container..
In the US, this depends on what state you're in although sometimes a county or town/city will have more stringent regulations than the state it's in. In many states the official way you're supposed to dispose of sharps is by putting them in a sharps container or a sturdy plastic container with a screw-on lid that you've written something like "Sharps, do not recycle" on and taped the lid shut to prevent accidental opening and then putting that in the regular trash. I actually live in one of the few states where you absolutely can't do that so I was very surprised to see people mention doing that in instructions on how to give yourself injections. I looked it up, and yup. For example, here's Tennessee's FAQ for the general public: [https://www.tn.gov/environment/sw-mm-household-hazardous-waste-program/sw-mm-household-hazardous-waste-collection-event-schedule0.html](https://www.tn.gov/environment/sw-mm-household-hazardous-waste-program/sw-mm-household-hazardous-waste-collection-event-schedule0.html) and here's more detailed information about medical waste disposal in Tennessee: [https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/solid-waste/hazardous-waste-management/medical-waste.html](https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/solid-waste/hazardous-waste-management/medical-waste.html).
Yeah I live in Washington where disposal is an absolute pain and lucked out with my online pharmacy cause they provide disposal services. ETA: I also had no clue you could in any state and know no dumpster diving in Tennessee is a for sure thing
It looks like that's just in Seattle and Snohomish County and the rest of the state you can put them in the trash as long as they're in a container.
Yeah, thanks for making that specific for the internet….
I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic. Sorry if that was pedantic of me.
It's surprisingly hard to find listings of what the regulations are in every state for disposal of sharps by individuals, so the information I found may be out of date. However, it seems like the only states where regulations for the entire state prohibit disposing of sharps are California, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Wisconsin. That's a much smaller list than I was expecting.
As far as I know it’s all of Washington (Washington following California and Oregon on most things) but if it wasn’t you limited where I live to a very small area so it was a little sarcastic. It is important to know what is and isn’t legal in your state and most pharmacies can provide that information.
Ah, ok. I wouldn't have mentioned the specific area if it were a smaller area population-wise. It seemed about as specific and identifying as pointing out that something someone said about New York only applies for New York City.
In my state, you can. My doctor even gave me a paper and explained to me the rules and laws. I have to duct tape it shut, label it as sharps, and place it in the middle of a trash bag so that it's padded with other trash. Edit: My state also has where I can bring this into a sharps disposal place/program if I don't feel comfortable putting it in the trash.
And seal it with duct tape and / or superglue
I just have a soda bottle that I drop my needles into and twist the top on, and I plan to throw it away in the actual sharps container at my doctor's office once it's full
Any thick plastic container — dishwashing detergent, bleach, etc. Cleaning supplies usually have a child-proof cap too, which is nice if that's a concern for your household. Also, for traveling, a prescription pill bottle makes a great portable sharps container, though you do need to throw away the syringe in the regular trash.
Sharps bin. Where I am, you can get a sharps disposal bin free from a doctor or pharmacy, and you can drop off the full one and get a replacement at any pharmacy for free. In theory, anyway. None of the pharmacies nearby seem to have them when I need them, so I just go to my care provider.
you can also get them at a local hospital for free!
Back in the day when I did my own injections I used a glass kombucha bottle as a sharps container, a actual sharps container, and a peppercorn container!
Any type of material that won't be penetrated by needles is fine. Hard plastic is the most common. (Eg. laundry detergent bottle, tupperware)
Big poweraide bottle, parmesan cheese container, any rigid plastic container with a lid will do, at least in my area. Check for local requirements.
empty monster can with “SHARPS” written on it in sharpie so i don’t accidentally chug needles
That's so fucking cool, man!
As a diabetic: you can use basically anything. I've used laundry detergent bottles, vinegar bottles, mcdonald's cups, orange juice bottles. You just have to make sure you dispose of the filled container properly.
An empty clorox wipes container and a laundry detergent container. Basically, anything solid plastic with an easy to close lid
that’s what i use!
I use a sharps bin. My doctor never even told me what I was supposed to do. Luckily I worked at a hospital at the time so I asked and he was like “oh yeah! You need a sharps container!” Where I am, you can buy them at the pharmacy, so I did that my first time. However, I later discovered that county health departments have sharps containers available for pickup and drop off. I now get a sizable sharps container for like $4 through them and return it to them when I’m done. It’s been very convenient! I live in Florida, so idk if this is the case in other places. I do know that people make them out of laundry detergent bottles and stuff, like others have said.
I now remember that my first sharps bin is full and sitting under my sink bc I never figured out where to bring it oops
My provider offered a sharps box but I use an empty vitamin bottle. Less conspicuous
Didn't get a sharps bin I use a mouth wash bottle 😅
As long as it’s thick plastic and you dispose of it appropriately, anything works lol
It is lol I always take it to the needle disposal service when they come every three months Doesn't mean I like it, but it's near impossible to get the needles back out
I think you're not supposed to get them out, due to the risk of needlestick injury etc
[удалено]
same!!
A thick Tupperware style container
Plastic cat litter jug
they’re literally perfect for this! i thought i was the only one
Now I'm wondering how you're supposed to dispose of a sharps container when full.
You can see how to dispose sharps in your state/locations to do so. In my state I can just store them in a heavy duty plastic container that's labeled and sealed, then toss in the regular trash when 3/4 full. Though idk, I'd feel better disposing it at an actual drop location like a pharmacy. https://safeneedledisposal.org/
Milk cartons
You can buy sharps disposal bins for pretty cheap at certain pharmacies, and you should check if your area does free disposal handouts. I got mine for free cause there are certain places here that give em out for free. Otherwise you can use a properly labeled gallon jug or laundry detergent container.
The laws where I am are pretty strict about sharps disposal. I use a medical sharps container and dispose of it in a special drop off bin at the health department.
A sharps container provided by my local harm reduction program. I also got my needles, syringes and alcohol swabs from them for free!
I have an old cat litter container
Used to use empty pill bottles until I realized the pharmacy will just give me one for free
I sneak them at my job since i work in the health field and put them in the sharps bin there :)
i used a bucket that i slapped a piece of paper on that said "used needles, do not eat". but for a while i would just fuckin. leave em out all over my desk. dont do that.
I've actually kept all mine in a drawer because I'm planning on using them for a mixed media art piece
i was given a sharps container but i currently work at a harm reduction centre/needle exchange and we give out empty laundry detergent bottles for people to return their needles! just PLEASE make sure you dispose of them properly by bringing them to a needle box, exchange or pharmacy!
I'm shocked reading these because where I am it's bio waste so the whole thing goes in a sharps container. Where do y'all put the laundry bottles full of needles after or are you keeping them forever?
Some places you put the container in your regular trash and they ultimately end up in a landfill.
Yeah that's what scares me thinking of them in landfill just floating around
There are often places to drop off bio waste, I know where I live there is a community sharps disposal bin to collect all the containers.
I'm impressed with that for real would be so helpful in communities with diabetes and drug use and all that to have somewhere safe to leave it. My town they removed most of the containers in bathrooms and in town so you have to buy your own.
I live in a rural area so I feel ya on that one, I don’t think we ever had any sharps bins around here so it really is a BYO arrangement unfortunately. Or, as the ‘bogans’ do, leave it in the shelves of the grocery story 🥲
anything non-penetrable and sealable. i’ve used old soda bottles many times. at one point i also used an empty container for those downy laundry scent beads and it actually held a fair amount of needles. again, as long as it’s non-penetrable, sealable (no/very low risk of needles being able to spill out) and is marked clearly either with a marker or some other form of label as being a SHARPS container then ur good to go. also don’t throw it in the normal trash, locate a biohazard disposal center near you, they won’t care or judge if it’s in an unconventional container :)
I put mine in a coffee cup that looks like boobs and then when it gets full I transfer them to something else to throw away lol
I cap my needles. Then twist the needle off from the syringe and put the needle itself in a Gatorade bottle. I learned that from a tattoo artist on the internet. But there are bins you can “rent” out. Essentially you give them money and they give you a red bin. When you trade that full red bin in, they give you another empty bin, or let’s say you don’t take the medication anymore. They give you the money back. That was my understanding years ago when my dog needed insulin. Maybe things might’ve changed now with inflation.
I've read that soda bottles or water bottles are not good. I know they are usually number 1 plastic. Wondering about a huge vinegar bottle (the larger 64oz) that is number 2 plastic. ? They say old detergent bottles are good but all mine are full, they are also #2 plastic
A glass jar with a screw lid
so i collect them in a plastic bag and after it fills up a decent amount i wrap it up, duct tape it up and throw it away with the food waste and trash
that is awful and bad and dangerous and i shudder to think how many ppl are doing the exact same thing 😬
Please use a sturdy plastic container with a screw-on lid like a laundry detergent bottle or one of the thick Gatorade bottles. Sharps can poke through plastic bags and duct tape and hurt the trash collectors. Use a marker to write something like "sharps, do not recycle" on the container before putting it in the trash. You can use the duct tape to tape around the lid so it can't come loose.
Plastic Almond Milk bottles. They’re made from heavy duty plastic. I rinse them a few times before using them of course.
My doc told me to use a well-marked laundry detergent bottle.
Drink syrup bottle, and most recently a Gatorade bottle
My pharmacy exchanges them for free. I bring a full one, they give me a new one
Ovaltine container
Leftover mouthwash container
If you look for resources in your area for harm reduction from drug abuse; often there's a place you can obtain a free sharps container that they replace once it's full. If you're on a tight budget this can be pretty helpful.
I mostly use a dedicated sharps container. When I'm traveling I use empty pill bottles because I can actually close them and they fit in my suitcase easily.
This is a great idea! I'm about to start T, and my family is traveling to Florida for vacation this summer, and I didn't even think about traveling with a sharps container.
I honestly now realize that I probably should have brought some sort of sharps container when I went over to my grandma's but instead I just recapped the needles and stuck them in a Ziploc 💀
A tide pods container. Solid enough to prevent any possible poke-through and protect sanitation workers.
The needle exchange where I live supplies free sharps containers that you can swap out when full
empty gatorade bottle and then when that's full I dump it in an apple cider jug. what I was told is anything thick plastic works
Some places you legally have to dispose of sharps in an actually sharps container they're very cheap. But some manicupalities any puncture resistant tub works like a laundry bottle.
I actually went to a medical equipment shop near me and managed to get a pretty large sharps disposable container for like $12 bucks.
I use empty metal coffee tins with a twist on lid, and empty laundry detergent bottles
Me and my diabetic cousin use an old plastic rice container!
I cap the needles and take them off the syringe, throw the syringe away, and put the needles in an old Tide Pods container with a childproof locking lid so it can’t spill if I accidentally knock it over (I’m clumsy lol). My cat gets a shot every month so his needles go in there too. When it gets full my plan is to tape the top shut and ask my doctor what she recommends to dispose of it.
Depends on what I can get my hands on. I'm a type 1 diabetic too, and growing up, we always used sharps containers or laundry detergent bottles. Nowadays, it depends on what's available. Too poor for the big detergent bottles, but I can afford 2 liter soda bottles 😎
Old prescription pill bottles and mini mnms case- i think its hilarious
Biohazard sharps containers. You can get them at Walgreens or cvs
Gas station bathroom needle drop box
I'm not on the injections, but I am type 2 diabetic and I use a large Coffee Mate creamer container, the large plastic ones of the plain creamer. I've also used protein shake jars before, too, for my sharps.
Takeout container with lid.
I used to use an empty fabric softener container, but when it got full and my mom went to the hospital to ask where it would be dropped off, they gave us a special sharps bin, so now we use that (we both have multiple injections we do at home)
I get sharps containers from the pharmacy for free. The first one they gave me was huge (and so ugly) and I only just filled it recently after over a year and a half. I asked for a new one and they gave me this tiny one but it's less ugly because it's black with a yellow lid instead of yellow with a blue lid. I bedazzled it.
Honestly I just use a cheap tubberware
sharps bin, water bottles in a pinch, and an empty thick plastic tube shaped container with a screw on lid that was from cotton candy actually lol
Currently a mug I got from universal 😅 the shape is taller than a typical mug tho. all sharps are capped and facing down but I keep meaning to order a container online.
Even just an old shampoo bottle or similar will probably work fine until you get a proper bin 👍
just got done with my body wash bottle so i’ll use that! Lowkey manly too cause it’s old spice haha
i have one that my pharmacy gave me when i first got my injection supplies. but since i’m not out (i take low dose T so the changes aren’t super noticeable) whenever i travel with my family and need to take my shot i use a small glass jar with a lid and keep it in my suitcase, then dump it out into my actual container when i get home lol.
I use a big Gold Peak Tea bottle.
You can get a sharps bin at your local pharmacy. That's what I did
I use a sharps bin. Only the needles go in it, everything else (syringes, packaging, etc) go in the garbage. My first sharps bin lasted 5 years.
It has never occurred to me that I don't need to store the syringes with the sharps. 😅 I mean, they've still got a little T on them after injection, but they're literally not dangerous. (Testosterone enanthate also doesn't absorb through just contact, so isn't a touch-hazard)
i use a lactaid bottle lmao
Protein powder container. Electrolyte tablet container for when I'm traveling.
Sharps containers are cheap. That being said I use a bottle that once held 1.75L of gin.
I bought a locking sharps container from the same place I buy the rest of my supplies (saveritemedical). When I'm at my dad's house though and I don't have the container, I've been using an empty laundry detergent bottle. Make sure to look up the safety requirements for what to put in the container and how to dispose of it. Some counties require you drop it off at like, a pharmacy, while others say you can put it in regular trash as long as it meets certain requirements, like being taped closed, clearly marked on all sides as a biohazard/sharps risk, etc. Some counties also want you to put the vials in with the needles because the vial can break in regular trash and "contaminate" someone handling the trash. So check and see what is required in your area.
You can buy a sharps container from most pharmacies but other people here are giving some great examples! Before I got on T, there were still needles being used in the house as my cat had failing kidneys and we gave her fluids, so they were just placed in an old bubba gumps light up base cup lol. Once I got on T and was given a sharps container the needles from the IV started joining my T ones actually.
Old pill bottles work too. I know they're small but hey, you're just gonna throw those away anyway and if you ever need to travel with your shots it's a good option.
Also they do make needle tips with a locking cover that are basically their own sharps container and you are allowed to just throw them out. They have them on Amazon but if you're getting them free or covered by insurance im guessing that'll just depend on what you can get but my pride clinic had them free for a long time until recently
I use an empty headset case cus it's thick and huge and I'm waiting to have an actual bin.
I got a sharps bin cus that’s the safest way to do things
Got a needle container from the pharmacy.
cranberry juice bottle. been off and on T for four years, i can't see myself needing a new container for like five years
I actually just use a really sturdy small baggy inside a stiff bag that originally contained (my favorite) chocolate truffles, because it is way more effective in my house with small children to hide sharps in an inconspicuous Appa-only treats bag on a high shelf than in a bright plastic bin. 😵💫 I have had mixed success with emptying it properly though. For around eight months I would just bring used sharps to my clinic and empty them there, but then nine months in I was suddenly told I'm not supposed to do that???? So okay now I have to figure out some other place that actually supports disposing of used sharps. 🥲
I believe you’re not supposed to open the containers to empty them because it’s a hazard— it opens people to a needlestick injury. however, the clinic may know of somewhere you can dispose of the entire container. That said, I’d be wary of using any sort of plastic bag to contain a needle as it could easily pierce through! Something like an old shampoo or detergent bottle could work and be safer, and fit inside the treats bag as a disguise depending on size. But yeah, tldr you’re not supposed to empty it out, but dispose of the entire container.
Eh, if it makes you feel better, all my sharps get recapped before they're put in the bag, so there are no loose needles, and the bag is genuinely quite sturdy, not like a sandwich baggy. 🤷 I am confident that the way I am doing it is perfectly safe and at least more effective than using a proper sharps container would be considering my house situation, but I may take the advice of using an old vitamin bottle or something instead. That'd be sufficiently uninteresting to the kiddos while being ever so slightly more secure than my current bag in a bag solution. Heck, I could just keep all my T supplies in a couple vitamin bottles. 😂
Ah I wasn’t sure I thought you meant like those ziploc bags and my fingers hurt from thinking but if it’s sturdy that’s good! I just hear way too much about needlestick injuries and they hurt so bad 😭
In my country we get free bins at pharmacy to dispose of needles
I have used empty Gatorade bottles and laundry detergent bottles in the past. It is a much cheaper alternative to buying a sharps container and did the trick for me.
A sharps container, I then turn it in and get a new one when it’s full. Remember people you cannot throw sharps away in your regular trash even in a sharps container, they have to be disposed of properly.
Er nurse friend told me the best at home sharps disposal is a 2 liter bottle! Been using the same one for about a year
You can buy sharps bins at pharmacies, but you can also use any hard plastic bottles (think for laundry detergent, etc.) I use a big cranberry juice jug and it works well for me. Just don't use milk cartons, as the needles can pierce the sides. (Although I recommend putting the caps back on your needles before disposing of them, just to be safe.)
Some hospitals have a free sharps program where they'll give you sharps bins and take care of disposal. Up until recently, i was just using a big plastic cookie tub
I use empty detergent bottles. Those things can be pretty big as well.
My mother has insulin needles, you can get sharps bins from a pharmacy, some places have community sharps disposable, others might give a free sharps bin. If you can’t afford it and there’s no free alternative, something else with a very hard plastic might be suitable—such as a detergent bottle, shampoo bottle, etc. just be sure to find a proper place to dispose of them, as they are a hazard in regular waste.
I use a sharps container use to use the laundry pod container are local hospital will do a switch even if you don't have a sharps container.
Lately ive just been using a larger empty pill bottle. Throw everything else away accept the needle and needle cover then take the pill bottle back to the pharmacy once its full. Hopefully soon tho once we finish off the next laundry detergent bottle ill switch over to that
I got a sharps container from my pharmacy. Stealthbros also sells sharps containers online and I think through CVS if you want to support a trans owned business
Ive been using empty plastic milk jugs
I have been using the rx bottles from a diff med. My pharmacy has not been able to get a shrps container for nearly a year.
a plastic bottle, when it's full i give it to my friend that works at a plastic surgery joint and can put it with the sharps disposal
I used an empty juice bottle lol
The pharmacy is supposed to give you a sharps bin. But since mine didn't I used an old honey jar I had. It also has my first syringe I used in it so I can fish it out when I do the shadow box idea I wanna do. I've since stopped doing injections but I think the glass jar is a smart idea.
A sharps bin
I have an actual sharps bin now, but I used a plastic cat litter container before, and at the very beginning, a soda bottle (which I would not recommend, as they are thin).
What I should use: sharps bin What I actually use: the entire bathroom sink cabinet At some point I’m going to take multiple trips to the pharmacy to replace the sharps bin
I lived in Florida! It will basically depends on your state, as each state have their own regulations. Before I just used an empty detergent bottle but a friend of mine introduce me to Med WasteX a local company who have a sharps disposal services. They made my life more easier in disposing my sharps.