Handle with Care: How To Throw Out Used Insulin Syringes and
Lancets At Home; A Booklet For Young People With Diabetes
And Their Families
A Note To Adults
This booklet is for young people with insulin-dependent
diabetes and for you.
People living in the United States use more than one billion
(1,000,000,000) syringes, needles, and lancets each year to
take care of their diabetes. This booklet shows you the safe
way to handle and throw out used insulin syringes and
lancets at home.
It's simple. The easy directions on the following pages show
you how to protect your family and waste handlers from
injury and help keep the environment clean and safe!
While you are reading this booklet, keep in mind that your
state, county, or town may have special rules about how to
dispose of syringes and lancets. They may also have a
special collection center for these items. You should ask
your doctor, diabetes educator, or community representative
how to find out about any rules or collection programs in
your area.
Did You Know?
People with insulin-dependent diabetes know how important
syringes and lancets are for controlling their diabetes and
staying healthy.
[Girl says]
We use lancets to test our blood sugar level!
[Boy says]
We use syringes to take insulin!
Most people with insulin-dependent diabetes use syringes and
lancets every day. But what do you do with them when you're
done?
Like anything else we throw out, lancets and syringes need
to be disposed of properly. Otherwise they can end up in
places they don't belong, like beaches. And because they
have very sharp, pointy ends, they can hurt people by
accident, like the person who collects your garbage, someone
in your family, or even you!
But there's a simple way you can help protect people and the
environment. It's quick and easy!
Just follow these TWO steps:
STEP 1: Put A Lid On It!
After you've given yourself an insulin shot, put your
syringe directly into a strong plastic or metal container
with a tight cap or lid. After you use a lancet, you can put
it into the same container too.
Don't try to bend, break, or put the cap back on your
needle...you might hurt yourself!
[Man says]
Keep your container out of reach of small children and pets!
Make It Easy!
Keep your container in the same room you usually have your
insulin shot or test your blood sugar.
Container Do's
The best containers to use are those that:
- Are made of strong plastic, so needles can't poke
through.
- Have a small opening on top with a cap or lid that
screws on tightly to prevent spills.
- Are not recyclable in your community. Put recyclable
containers back into use whenever possible!
Some examples might include a plastic bleach jug, plastic
liquid detergent bottle, or plastic milk jug. You can use a
coffee can, too. But when it gets full, close the lid
tightly and seal it with strong tape.
Container Don'ts
- Don't use glass containers (they can break), or
lightweight plastic containers.
- Don't use any container that will be returned to a
store.
- If you use a recyclable container to dispose of
syringes and lancets, be sure it doesn't end up in
the recycling bin by mistake. These items are not
recyclable, and could affect the safe and effective
recycling of other items in the bin.
[Doctor says]
Many household items make good containers!
STEP 2: Pitch In!
When the container is full, tightly secure the lid and
reinforce it with heavy-duty tape before throwing it in the
trash. Be sure not to put it in the recycling bin.
[Girl 1 says]
That's it?
[Girl 2 says]
Yep!
WORD SCRAMBLE
1. Put your syringes and lancets into a strong _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(CLIPAST)
or_ _ _ _ _ container and tighten the _ _ _.
(LATME) (DLI)
2. When it gets full, reinforce the lid with _ _ _ _ and
(PETA)
throw your_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ into the _ _ _ _ _ !
(RENTANOIC) (SHART)
CUT OUT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE AND KEEP IT NEAR YOUR
CONTAINER AS A REMINDER.
------------------------------------------------------------
REMEMBER
Step 1: Put A Lid On It!
After you use a syringe or a lancet, put it directly into a
strong plastic or metal container with a tight cap or lid.
Step 2: Pitch In!
When the container is full and tightly sealed with
heavy-duty tape, throw it out in the trash. Don't put this
container in your recycling bin.
Congratulations!
Now you know how to handle and throw out used insulin4:49 PM 10/29/2004
syringes and lancets safely.
Pass It On!
Do you know others with insulin-dependent diabetes? Tell
them what you've learned about handling and safe disposal of
used syringes and lancets. By spreading the word, you can
help others keep the environment clean and safe!
This booklet may be photocopied.
From the
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Solid Waste (5305W)
EPA530-K-99-008
September 1999
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/househld/hhw/han-care.txt
Also see
advances in lancets
(by David Mendosa)
handle with care: how to throw out used insulin syringes and lancets
safe community needle disposal
Safe Community Needle Disposal from the CDC. Includes clickable map to access state-by-state information on needle disposal
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