Disposal of Libre 2

[sgm14]

Are you in the UK?

Yes (I'm in Northern Ireland)

I suspect the pharmacy would say that I would need it to be on my prescription, but from past experience that's never as simple as it should be.

So, to be honest, I did not think it was worth the hassle as I'm quite happy with the way I do it.

 

[Deleted member 527103]

I definitely need my sharps bin on prescription and my (small) local pharmacy will order when I put in the prescription. The shop is not big enough to have a stash of yellow bins hanging around to hand out on demand.
This also means they do not take full sharps bin because they have no space.

 

[OscarLove]

I did not check if they had large ones but I get the small (1L ?) box from them on prescription.

For some reason your last reply is not showing in this thread (at least for me anyway), although I saw it in my email notification. I see you are in NI, not sure if your NI assembly (or whatever) control your NHS, like in Wales. Anyway, my sharps bin with the large hole is only 1.8l whereas my little one with small hole is 1l. I didn't realise they had sizes on them till I checked. I don't think I'd want a 7 litre one, it must be huge and I keep them in the kitchen. Not sure what will happen soon when I need a replacement 1.8l though as I got this one from a pharmacy adjoining the GP surgery whereas I get my prescriptions, etc from one nearer home.

 

[Optium]

I have wondered, since starting Libre 2, if all the packaging is necessary , is there a way to reduce it

 

[Gloucestergirl]

This is from the Freestyle website -

How you dispose the Sensor components after use?​

Used or unused Sensor packaging can go in general waste.
Once the Sensor has been placed on the arm, the used applicator (which contains a needle) and the lid can be screwed back together and can be placed in a yellow biohazard bag or sharps box.
The used Sensors are not sharps. The used sensor should be removed and wiped down with disinfectant, and then disposed of as electrical waste (the same as a battery).

 

[OscarLove]

This is from the Freestyle website -

How you dispose the Sensor components after use?​

Used or unused Sensor packaging can go in general waste.
Once the Sensor has been placed on the arm, the used applicator (which contains a needle) and the lid can be screwed back together and can be placed in a yellow biohazard bag or sharps box.
The used Sensors are not sharps. The used sensor should be removed and wiped down with disinfectant, and then disposed of as electrical waste (the same as a battery).

Thank you.

 

[Hopeful34]

Can't see the point of putting the lid back on if you're using a sharps bin. It only fills the sharps bin quicker.

 

[CottonCutiePies]

Mine go into the normal bin, as unlike omnipod where they send you a box to put used pods in,dexcom and libre don't recycle the sensors. It might be worth joining a few groups on Facebook as there's a man who recycle the transmitter from dexcom g6 you may be able to find someone who recycles libre sensors.

 

[OscarLove]

Can't see the point of putting the lid back on if you're using a sharps bin. It only fills the sharps bin quicker.

Me neither.

 

[OscarLove]

Mine go into the normal bin, as unlike omnipod where they send you a box to put used pods in,dexcom and libre don't recycle the sensors. It might be worth joining a few groups on Facebook as there's a man who recycle the transmitter from dexcom g6 you may be able to find someone who recycles libre sensors.

Well, the Libre site says dispose with batteries which I save up and put out with my recycling in a separate little plastic bag, but also a lot of supermarkets have bins for recycling batteries. Not sure what happens to them after that. But the Libre sensor looks a bit odd in with normal batteries. It’s not quite the same thing is it like a naked battery!

 

[becca59]

Can't see the point of putting the lid back on if you're using a sharps bin. It only fills the sharps bin quicker.

Agree!

 

[CottonCutiePies]

Well, the Libre site says dispose with batteries which I save up and put out with my recycling in a separate little plastic bag, but also a lot of supermarkets have bins for recycling batteries. Not sure what happens to them after that. But the Libre sensor looks a bit odd in with normal batteries. It’s not quite the same thing is it like a naked battery!

I'm just going by what my nurse told me.

 

[Bob Bowers]

I get my from my sharps box from my local council, they collect the full one and replace it. Worth checking their website site
Mine are free and so is collection

 

[Terry Ebsworth]

I think the nurse told me it was all plastic and could be recycled with plastics but when I saw her and gave her my first used applicator thing, she put it her sharps bin. But I didn’t think it had a needle? The lid is obviously just plastic so no problem. What about the sensor itself? Does that go with other things with batteries or what? Do I need to use a sharps bin for the applicators? They are rather large, much larger than finger prick needles.

I put the main parts and arm item in sharps bin .It's a shame nothing official has been said to clear up this problem

 

[Grandadfatboy]

I was informed by my diabetes nurse that the used sensor can go in my sharps box, so that's where they go.

 

[agylli]

That's a dangerous thing to do. It contains a battery that, when heated in an incinerator, could be a problem.

Abbott states that it should be disposed of as a battery.

How you dispose the Sensor components after use?

Used or unused Sensor packaging can go in general waste. Once the Sensor has been placed on the arm, the used applicator (which contains a needle) and the lid can be screwed back together and can be placed in a yellow biohazard bag or sharps box. The used Sensors are not sharps. The used sensor...

www.freestyle.abbott

 

[Antje77]

I was informed by my diabetes nurse that the used sensor can go in my sharps box, so that's where they go.

A sharps box is meant for things that are both sharp (so people can accidentally break their skin with it), and have been in contact with blood (bio hazard).

Take one of the two out and it doesn't belong in a sharps box. No broken glass, although it's sharp, no band aids or tampons although there is blood.
Of course you can put anything in a sharps box but it's a waste of resources. Disposing of sharps boxes is a lot more expensive to the community than disposing of general waste, glass, or batteries.