Diabetes Technology & Equipment

[jbeatty]

I have a question for anybody on this site from the wicomico county in Maryland. Where and How do you dispose of the used test strips? Does anybody have any suggestions?
 

[lizzylou Diabetes Brain Trust]

Hi JB,

I know of no law in Maryland that involves disposal of used test strips.  There are laws for the disposal of used syringes or as they're called "sharps", but Maryland is pretty lenient.  They require that you put the used syringes in a puncture proof container and seal it, then you can throw it in the trash.

I do live in MD, so I'm familiar with the laws.  My suggestion would be if you really feel it's necessary put the used strips in a container and then when it's full you can use the regular trash. 

Lizzy

[Spookiesmom]

I take mine to the ER. They have all kinds of stuff to dispose of, just add mine to the mix.

[jbeatty]

Hey lizzylou and spookiesmom,

Thank you for the info. I did not know. Currently, I believe that I am in the early stages or prediabetes stage. I am kinda new at this diabetes stuff.
JB

[trisha01 Diabetes Brain Trust]

If you (anyone) live/s in an area, that allows you to burn your trash, this is the easiest method. Where I live, we can burn trash. All of the test strips, lancets, and syringes, get burned. Always recap the syringes (for those that do injections) though. I have a container about 12" high x 6" across x about 3" deep, like a small rubbish can, that I toss everyhing into. Once a month, it gets burned with the trash. This little container holds about a month's worth of stuff - I test 20 + x's daily, do 9 to 12 injections daily, and it holds all of it. It has a swing lid with it, and it cost only a buck at one of the dollar stores. Hope this helps.

Trisha

[Dragonstar]

We get the small sharps container from the pharmacy at either Walgrens or Kmart here.  They're about the only places in town I've found that carries them.  The local health department has a drop box out front for sharps containers under 2L size so I drop them off there every month or so, when I remember to after work.  No other place in town here will take the full containers, not even the doctor's office.  Hospitals won't take them from 'people off the streets' either, so it's either drop in the drop box or go to the needle exchange day in the alley behind the bakery. *Umm yeah.. no thanks*

[mbell7347]

I wrap my used test stripes in klenix and throw them in the trash. I've been told this doesn't break any Kansas laws. In fact, I mainly do the klenix wrap to keep from upsetting my co-workers when I test at work (and this is most likely an unnecessary precaution).

[onyxlives]

My diabetes educator suggested a laundry detergent bottle. Drop all your lancets and test strips in it and throw it away when it's full.

[4xgrandma]

I just throw mine in the trash.  If you cut your finger and used a tissue or paper towel to clean it, would you do anything special with that?  I do put needles in a sharps container but don't treat test strips any different than regular trash.

Linda