Disposal of sharps in Glasgow

[Sirzy]

My DSN and GPs surgery have refused to prescribe me a sharps bin or accept one back if I buy my own. I’ve been told to put my sharps in with the household waste, which I’m obviously not going to do. Apparently, this is what everyone in Glasgow is told to do with their sharps, which is shocking. My local pharmacies won’t accept sharps either and when I rang my local council to ask if it’s ok to just put them in the bin, they said absolutely not, and if they were to find medical waste in my household bin I’d be in for a hefty fine! So I’m out of ideas of what to do with them, does anybody know of a private company that will take sharps from an individual? When I’ve searched for companies that could do this, I only come up with companies that deal with hospitals, GP practices and businesses such as tattoo artists. I’m at my wits end not being able to find anyone to take them and really think both the Glasgow NHS and the council are continually passing the responsibility for sharps disposal between each other, while neither one will actually do anything about it. It’s an absolute disgrace that the responsibility of disposal rests with the individual.

 

[dancer]

I just do what my DSN told me to do. I put needles/lancets in a plastic bottle and when it's full I put it in the bin. I didn't think the council would be happy with this but did what I was told. There was no other option in the Glasgow area.

 

[Sirzy]

I just do what my DSN told me to do. I put needles/lancets in a plastic bottle and when it's full I put it in the bin. I didn't think the council would be happy with this but did what I was told. There was no other option in the Glasgow area.

The worrying thing is, if the council find medical waste in with your household waste, even if you explain that you’ve been told to do it by your DSN, their view is getting rid of it is your sole responsibility, so it’s only you who’ll have to answer for it and pay the fine.

 

[Rachox]

As I see it, if the sharps are placed in the rubbish bin sealed in a shatter proof container, that removes the risk of needle sticking a refuse collector, they don’t even handle the rubbish these days. As for any blood contamination, there’s way more blood on sanitary products which are put in the general waste.
I put my lancets in a plastic drink bottle then seal it with duct tape inside tetra brick. As a type 2 with no backup for testing from my HCPs I have no other option.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

If I was in position of no one was accepting responsibility for the Sharps being emptied or exchanged. I would decant them into a container as per @Rachox's method and put them into a skip at the local shopping centre.

Fortuanly the last I had to get rid of Sharp stuff the wound dressing clinic at the base hospital took them of my hand. My GP will take them as well, not sure about my pharmacy as it has changed hands.

I put my lancets in a plastic drink bottle then seal it with duct tape inside tetra brick.

 

[Rachox]

If I was in position of no one was accepting responsibility for the Sharps being emptied or exchanged. I would decant them into a container as per @Rachox's method and put them into a skip at the local shopping centre.

One with no CCTV would be best in that case?!

 

[Deleted member 308541]

One with no CCTV would be best in that case?!

Ooops! I forgot about them.

 

[johnbear2]

I have been told the same by Dan and diabetic clinic,put sharps in a used milk carton and once full put in waste bin