But that's not Sharp!

Tandem t:slim X2 - the disposable bits!

Hi Folks,

I have just changed my second infusion set and cartridge on my own. [Down to less than 30 minutes now. :***:]
I wanted to ask you guys about all the rubbish that is left over from this process.
I have a 2.5 Litre Sharps Container that i used to put my insulin Pen needles and BG Testing strips in.
Now i am using a pump [yippee ] and i have been advised about what to do with my "waste".
I am not an eco warrior, but my 11 year old son makes me think about what i am doing.

What i have been told to put into my Sharps Container:

1. The needle from the filling syringe - fair enough, its sharp
   
   
2. The old cannula - fair enough, a tiny bit of it has been in my body
   
   
3. The old filling tube - this is where i am not sure i agree:
   Sure the clip-on bit at the end has a tiny tiny needle in it, but that bit can cut that off the tube.
   The rest of the long tube just contains insulin, but we are talking about approx 12u, which is a very small amount of what is a relatively harmless drug. Can this not just go in the normal bin?
   
   
4. The old insulin cartridge - again, i don't see why this needs to go in the Sharps container
   Again, it may contain up to about 50u of insulin left over (although so far the most i have had left is 24u)
   But it doesn't have anything sharp on it.
   
   
5. The Infusion set insertion device - This is a pretty BIG bit of plastic with just a tiny needle in it
   I have found that a simple pair of pliers and a small tug is all it needs to remove this little needle.
   Literally seconds to achieve.
   I pop the needle into the sharps, because after all it has been in my body for all of 10 seconds at the most.
   The rest of the plastic i have been putting in the bin (even then i am not happy that i cannot recycle it)

I am expecting a Dexcom G6 Starter Kit tomorrow (super excited again). Looking at the videos I am dreading having to chuck away that MASSIVE chunk of plastic that is used to apply the Sensor. I mean "COME ON DEXCOM !". Could they not come up with something smaller than that!

What are your thoughts guys?

LooperCat said:

I put sharps in, but not bits that have been in my body - after all, women don’t dispose of sanitary stuff in clinical waste. Or should we put plasters in special bins too!

Click to expand...

That's why i was questioning what i was told. I was being told to put the whole empty cartridge in the Sharps bin and there is nothing sharp about that. At work we have a Sharps bin and a separate medical waste bin in our work First Aid room (which we DO put plasters in i might add).
I have a follow-up pump meeting tomorrow. I am going to query it there.
All of the rest of my group have got Omnipods, so it is less of an issue for them i think.
Although not actually sure how much waste of any type is associated with pods.

STOP PRESS:
I spoke to the people who collect my Sharps Container about this issue. This is what they said:

"Our advice would be to carry on with the sharp containers to put your empty cartridges in and anything insulin contaminated and your canula once this has been changed. As this is pharmaceutically contaminated, we would always advise for safe disposal using your sharps container."

However, i just can't bring myself to dump all that plastic into my Sharps Container.
I am going to pull-out / chop off anything sharp and put it in the container.
I DO usually put my used test strips in the container, again, because i was told too by my DSN.
As for the rest, i am NOT too sure about which plastic bits my council will recycle, but i will give it a go.
(Eco-Warrior....not)
What's left...in the trash.

On another note. I have decided to save and clean the little insulin vials so that i can make one of those cool light stings that you see in the background of the Vlogs from Nerdabetic:

Have you looked into the light string to use?
There are loads of lights around at Xmas, but looking at the neck of the vial, it will need to a be pretty small LED to fit through.