• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Disposal of needles, lancets, cartridges and pens

MarSim

Newbie
Messages
3
Dear all,

I was wondering where you dispose of your needles, lancets, cartridges and insulin pens when you have finished with them? Do you have a sharps bin? Do you return it to the pharmacy or your GP when it is full?

Thank you very much
 
Welcome!! This is a question I have raised recently here. I found a place ie the council who will collect then at £30 a time so I'm still looking. If you find a GP/Hospital/Chemist let me know please. I'm in central London! Good Luck!
 
Welcome!! This is a question I have raised recently here. I found a place ie the council who will collect then at £30 a time so I'm still looking. If you find a GP/Hospital/Chemist let me know please. I'm in central London! Good Luck!
Thank you for the prompt reply! I have been searching for information but I have not been finding many results. I will definitely inform you as soon as I find out.
 
Everything goes in sharps bins which are then collected on a Thursday morning by our local council. I live in Nottingham.
Thank you for the prompt reply! Do you have to contact your local council for this to occur or does your GP/pharmacist arrange this for you?
 
My local council also provide and collect Sharps' bins when full. You need to ring them to find out what you need to do to get on their list. Where I live my GP had to ring them to set up this service for me. There might be a form for your doctor to fill in and return instead. I think the council has to provide the service for local residents. There is no charge made for this where I live.
 
Dear all,

I was wondering where you dispose of your needles, lancets, cartridges and insulin pens when you have finished with them? Do you have a sharps bin? Do you return it to the pharmacy or your GP when it is full?

Thank you very much
I throw them near the kindergarten backyard, of course!



.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Because there's a pharmacy wih outside a bin for disposing used needles and a bin for spoiled drugs.
 
Hi, I have a prescription from my GP for a sharps bin which, when full I have to take it to the surgery and then get another prescription for a replacement, and so it goes on, possibly ad infinitum!
 
It was suggested to me that a needle exchange centre might take them. Also BD who make needles I read also might take them - Have a look at their website.
 
My council take them, but collection is erratic. Last lot I called when I knew there was about a week of space in my 5l bin. Two additionsl 1l bins later they actually came to collect... it is free though!
 
I have sharps bins on prescription. When they are full i take them either to my local chemist or gp.
 
My local council collect, and to arrange collection I can request a collection online or give them a call. Usually takes up to 7 days
 
Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board DSNs and the Community Pharmacist I have spoken to at my health centre tell us to put sharps in a plastic bottle and dispose of in the refuse bin. I'm not sure the council would agree with this but it's the only option I've been given.
 
I was told to put used needles with the caps on in an empty milk carton,seal it and dispose of carton in bucket
 
It does seem a lottery, I'm near Wolverhampton and the surgery gave me one not on prescription and said just return it when its full.
 
Sharps bin on prescription here, given out by and returned to pharmacy.
Technically, it is a biohazard as it is contaminated with human blood so can't go in the bin.
Worth asking GP or pharmacist.
 
In Liverpool the G.P. refers you to the council collection service, they then collect your sharps bin every 26 weeks have to say after waiting in all day twice I have had to phone up to arrange collection but they do then come out within 24 hours
 
"NewGreater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board DSNs and the Community Pharmacist I have spoken to at my health centre tell us to put sharps in a plastic bottle and dispose of in the refuse bin. I'm not sure the council would agree with this but it's the only option I've been given."
I live in Lanarkshire and that is the same info I have been given. My GP doesn't put them on prescription either
 
Back
Top