What Really Needles Me? Safe Needle Disposal

After more than a year taking Forteo injections, my container of used needles is full, and I am ready to throw it away. However, we don't just throw away sharp needles, do we? That's why a "sharps container" comes with the needle pins.

I checked the Carrollton web site and found that local individuals must deliver used needles to the Dallas Center that is shared by surrounding communities. It's a bit of a drive. They kindly provided a map and pictures so we could recognize when we arrived at the parking lot.




I want a better answer than delivering to a city-wide central hub. I found a site that tells how to place the sharps container on top of the trash the morning of the weekly pickup. Great. This is easy . . . except I have to live in Kentucky. Okay, the search continues --

Then I found a site about medical waste. What is considered medical waste and what do you do with it? My particular medical waste is needles, so what do I do? In small type, I mean very small type, this tells of a Coalition for Safe Needle Disposal, including the members, what the coalition supports and who sponsors it. Very short and very general. No solution yet.

From here I followed an EPA link to the Safe Needle place which led me to the National Service Center for Environmental Publications which led me to links where I could search for publications on any topic, and I'm sure needle disposal is among them. I had already read why it is important to dispose of needles safely, who supports safe disposal, what EPA regulations have changed, but I still do not know how to do it!

I think I'll take the needles to my doctor's office next time I go.

technorati tags: needle, disposal, safety, epa, multiplesclerosis, multiple_sclerosis, downthemspath