Sharps box

[Bluegeranium]

I have just started self injecting B12 and was wondering how to dispose of the contents of my sharps box x

[Nackapan]

I bought my box from a chemist they put s telephone number on to ring . They then collect it. Ask a few chrmhsts they will have a number to ring I'm sure.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

It varies very much from area to area. You may find that there is an scheme in your area that allows you to contact someone who will pick them up, or you may need to take them to a GP for disposal. In some areas you can take them to a pharmacy but think those are getting rarer and rare.

[Bluegeranium in reply to Gambit62]

Thank you. At the moment I’m getting an injection on the NHS every eight weeks which is administered by the community nurse but since getting the ampoules from Germany I have been having one once a week. The German ones are twice as much as the ones I get on the NHS so they keep the symptoms bearable for longer. x

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

Thanks for asking the question. It's a subject I get a bit stressed by. Giving it to GP surgery is not an option for me as I don't want them to know I self inject.

[Bluegeranium in reply to Sleepybunny]

Yes I’m in the same situation as I don’t want my GP to know I self inject x

[Libuse in reply to Bluegeranium]

Same with me. I get injections from GP every 3 months but SI once a week since Christmas. I don’t tell GP either and was wondering what to do with box…..

[jaybirdxNHM in reply to Libuse]

We have a company Medisort which collects and replaces box when needed freeThey are big company.

[JanD236]

My local council will do an annual collection of a sharps box and will replace it with a 5 or 10 litre box (5 is way big enough for me).

I didn’t have to get anything from my doctor to arrange this. It was all sorted online, no questions asked.

[Bluegeranium in reply to JanD236]

Thank you I got my sharps online and when it came it was only .02 of a litre so not big enough. I think I shall have to get a bigger one before I can take it anywhere to exchange it x

[deniseinmilden]

If you walk into the outpatients' department of your local hospital and ask at one of the counters to swap it for a new one they'll probably do it without question!I've got several swapped for other people that way.

My GP practice nurses usually swap mine for me when I go for my flu jab or similar if I take it with me.

If you take one into pretty much any medical centre and sort of hang about with it looking lost someone usually comes to your rescue!

If you don't want to admit it's yours you can just say, "I'm bringing it in for someone" and they don't usually bat an eyelid! (It's true, you're just not telling them that the "someone" is you!).

[diabetty]

Hi BluegeraniumIn Scarborough we contact the hospital and arrange a date for someone to pick the full box up and leave a replacement. You have to leave the box outside in an arranged place on the premises, as they don't come to the door.

[Bluegeranium in reply to diabetty]

Ok thank you. Did you tell them what it was for? X

[diabetty in reply to Bluegeranium]

There's a department which deals with sharps boxes. The first time, I just explained what I was enquiring about to the person on the switchboard and she put me through then I was given the number of the department to contact them direct. Its also possible to arrange a date online, but you have to put the box out early as they can come at any time during the day they don't give you a time. It's really a simple process when you've done it once.Hope you get it sorted.

[DH89]

I can book a collection via my local council website, leave it outside my front door and they collect it at 5am. They can leave a new sharps box too. I couldn't find any pharmacies that would take it locally.

[Nackapan in reply to DH89]

If the pharmacy sells them they shoukd have a tel. No on them and then you ring when it's fill and put it outside early am.

[Hidden]

I am in Rotherham. Our council has a number you ring and they arrange collection when they leave a replacement. They don’t ask questions either. The number to ring should be on their website.

[Midnight_Voice]

Hi Bluegeranium

I hope you realise that you don’t dispose of the contents of your sharps box, you always dispose of the filled sharps box entire?

The lids have two positions, ‘shut’ (when you can open the lid again) and ‘sealed’ (when you press down really hard, and it can’t be opened again).

You should seal it before handing it in (at any pharmacy I would have thought, though if they won’t take it, they should be able to tell you where you can exchange it for a new empty one).

My current sharps box, supplied on prescription as part of my anti-DVT treatment, has no surgery/pharmacy labels on it at all, and so nobody could tell if it was legit or not, so you have no worries on that score when disposing of one used for SI-ing; they can’t tell.

[pitney]

my local council will collect on a specific day you book online

[Hidden in reply to pitney]

Years ago I put the sharps on my multi fuel burner.Then on a visit to cornwall went to a ladies toilet and there was a facility there. As a frequent visitor in the past that's what I would do, collect them in a tin and then take them on holiday to dispose of them.

Again like many on here I inject without my gps knowing so am very reluctant in using the services provide ..... am in a small area were everybody knows everybody just imagine the gossip !

[Mrsyng188]

Hi, my community health desk gave me my new sharps box, they did not ask my name or any details. I have to return the box in 3 months or when half full, they even put the date on it. Completely anonymous. I live in Scotland.My GP was very nasty during covid, told me if I wanted more than 12 weeks then buy my own. Apparently the 8 week rule for PA positive patients is just guidance and does not apply in their surgery.

With the help and support of this group and a very lovely friend, I buy and self inject weekly, the stress of dealing with GPs was horrendous and stressful.

Try phoning your health centre and speak to Community Health, Good Luck.

[Nackapan in reply to Mrsyng188]

There is just no need for nastiness .Good fir you to disregard them

Hooe you do find s better compassionate Gp though.

The services that deal with shares are not interested in who has them abd why

[Mashie44 in reply to Mrsyng188]

I'm so sorry that happened to you.

[FlipperTD]

Scientist, not medic, and here he goes again...

It is rumoured that filled sharps bins did have a street value given that they were full of sharps and syringes, which could be recycled by addicts. This may or may not be true but it was certainly believe in the hospital. The other horror story was people stealing hand gel to drink.

When I recently had a several weeks episode of self-injection [Tinzaparin, to prevent DVTs] my local hospital didn't bat an eyelid. Take a filled bin in, and plenty of folks were ready to take it off me and replace it.

Don't panic; you'll be fine!

[Nackapan in reply to FlipperTD]

Yrs totally disinterested in why you have it. Safe disposal their job

[CecilyParsley]

I take mine to a local drug and alcohol service. They supply the syringes and needles and dispose of the sharps boxes for me

[Sleepybunny in reply to CecilyParsley]

Hi,

Did you have to register with the service?

I like to be anonymous if possible.

[CecilyParsley in reply to Sleepybunny]

Yes I did have to register but it was very discreet and just the first time I went. Now I go hand in my sharps box and get a new one plus needles and syringes. My GP point blank refused to deal with my sharps box or to even provide one for me. Shocking really. I think the only other option would be to pay for disposal. Good luck

[GalDriver]

We phone the Council to arrange collection.

[LittleA]

You can apply for one with your local council, you apply through their website. For mine is free and they come and collect for free too. You can email them for one or collect when its full. You just need to type in your local counsil and sharp box

Hope this helps Xx

[ellj in reply to LittleA]

I tried that but it says contact your GP...so back to square one 😕

[LittleA in reply to ellj]

You can get them from a pharmacy and drop them back to the pharmacy once they are full. Your council can pick them up. They may charge for it or pick up for free and ask for a new one

gov.uk/request-clinical-was...

Hope it helps

[SallyRees]

I’m so pleased this subject has been raised. I’m currently trying to find a way to dispose of my sharps bin.

My council states that to be eligible for their scheme I have to provide a doctors letter. I don’t want my doctor to know and even if he did I’d put money on it that he wouldn’t entertain providing me with a letter.

If I’m a drug addict I can apparently get new needles, syringes and bins, no questions asked. I try to be responsible and I’ve hit a brick wall. ☹️

I’m debating just leaving my bin at a hospital and purchasing a new one. Fine system eh!

[Mashie44 in reply to SallyRees]

Why are doctors so unhelpful about this? I was refused a letter for carrying the sharps onto a plane... because the GP didn't prescribe B12 (new one claims that despite neurologist report that I don't need it at all after loading doses as mt IF test was negative).

[Hidden in reply to SallyRees]

Its amazing that you have more help while on drugs than on a vitamin !

Just the amount of people on here being responsible with there sharps trying to find a safe disposal systems, while people on drugs just dump them in the street or hedge rows. It doesn't make sense !

That's life today ! Ass about front.

[SallyRees in reply to Hidden]

Totally! While one is designed to encourage safety there seems no care for people that are in need through no fault of their own.

Go figure 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Sleepybunny]

Places in UK that display the symbol in link below offer a needle exchange service.

exchangesupplies.org/shopdi...

I think it's likely that the same places will take sharps bins but not sure.

[SallyRees in reply to Sleepybunny]

I have a positive update 😃I had to literally go door to door to hunt it down but finally I have found a pharmacy that is part of the ‘sharps take back scheme’

They provided me with a 1 litre bin and just said pop back when it’s full and they will supply me with a new one. Even advised that I emptied the contents of my bin at home into the new one as they don’t take other sizes.

I’m relieved I’ve found someone to provide this service but still bewildered that it was so hard to find when trying to do the correct and responsible thing.

I’m going to check for that symbol when I return sleepbunny. You’d think something like this would be more recognised and certainly much more available.

Many thanks for your posts x

[Sleepybunny in reply to SallyRees]

Did they take your name etc.

I prefer somewhere where I can be anonymous.

[SallyRees in reply to Sleepybunny]

No, no details or questions asked at all 😂

[Sleepybunny]

A friend told me that there is a "yellow sharps box take back scheme in Gloucestershire" and there is published list of pharmacies that accept sharps boxes. Search with above terms and it should show links with a list of pharmacies.

I don't know if this scheme has been affected by pandemic so suggest anyone in Gloucestershire checks.

I'm trying to find out if this exists in other areas of UK.

Link about requesting clinical waste collection in UK

gov.uk/request-clinical-was...