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What do I do with used pens?

PaulinaB

Well-Known Member
Messages
594
Location
London, UK
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi all!

The other topic about sharps bins has reminded me that I always wanted to ask this, but kept forgetting... Basically, what should we do with used insulin pens? I get those "disposable" ones (one-time use), but how do I dispose of them? :> I assume this would be the same procedure as disposing of syringes (without needles).

Can I simply throw them away with other waste? I'm currently treating them as a "medical waste" and put them in my sharps bin (my council gives those gigantic ones, you could fit a baby in there...), but I'm pretty sure it's not a correct way

Any thoughts/resources appreciated!
 
Mine just go in the waste, obviously I remove the needle first and put it in the sharps bin.
 
Robinredbreast said:
Same as Noblehead, only Levemir is my disposable one.
Click to expand...

Mines lantus (Solostar disposable pens). No idea why they stopped giving me the lantus cartridges and switched to the Solostar pens
 
I just make sure mine is completely 'Spent' and chuck it in the household waste like others have said.
 
Same as the others, I put used pens in household waste. It's the only thing I do put there, everything else I've been told to put in a sharps bin as medical waste (so lancets, strips, cannulas, cartridges, tubing etc)
I have back-up pens for my pump and have been known to water the garden with full but out of date pens before getting rid of them . I am a bit paranoid about it since I know it will denature quickly but I try to distribute it over a wide area (I hate doing it but don't see any alternative)
 
I don't use them now, but used to save them up with other discarded meds and take them to my chemist (they don't accept them with sharps though)
 
I've been doing it all wrong then! Ha.
I never "empty" them so there's usually a small amount (2-3u) left in the pen when I throw it away. I think that's why it felt weird throwing it in the bin. They keep telling everyone not to throw medicines with household waste, and since insulin is a medicine I somehow made that connection...
 
Could you not collect them all together and make an art installation highlighting diabetes ? At least that's what's the wife would do !
 

It's fine to throw away in the bin, provided you remove the needle first. This will save your sharp bins becoming clogged-up Paulina
 
noblehead said:
It's fine to throw away in the bin, provided you remove the needle first. This will save your sharp bins becoming clogged-up Paulina
Click to expand...

Not what I was told! I was told that when my pen was either getting too low/Or it had been kept at room temprature for more than the recommended amount of time that we should ALWAYS attach a needle and keep dialling the pen and extruding the pens contents down the sink or toilet until you could no longer dial the pen and all the insulin had been spent and then and only then should we put it in the household waste-minus the needle of course.
 


Not heard that before, but if that's what you've been told then that's what you should do.
 
No one ever told me that! My dsn only said that if it has too little insulin left, get a new one. Didn't tell me to empty it!
 

Hi, if you are concerned about any Insulin left in pen, have a word with your DSN if you can. I'm sure a very small amount could be left in the pen, even if expressed out safely by user Best wishes.

Just seen your above post
 
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