? Test strips in the sharps container or the trash?

I've been putting them in the sharps container, and I assume that is fine, but do I need to?

 

Never thought about it, I just throw them in the trash.

 

You don't have to, but since I have my sharps container right there where I test/feed/shoot, that's where I put mine too

It's fine for them to go into the trash too....nobody is going to "poke" themselves with a test strip and introduce any blood into their body...LOL

 

I would check with your locality/city/town. Their website should say what to do with medical waste. For my locality I can just place my syringes in a non-breakage container and tap it shut and put it in the trash. I piy my strips in the same container for convenience.

 

Gosh, I've never given it any thought, either, and just toss them in the kitchen waste can.

And that's exactly how I dispose of syringes and lancets. They go into an empty dishwashing liquid bottle. When it's full, I tape the top shut and stick a label on the bottle, "SHARPS". From there, it goes in with the regular garbage.

 

We have a sharps disposal program here in Florida. I go to a local pharmacy and get a sharps container, then when it is full, I take it in and they give me a new one free of charge.

 

I can dispose of my sharps where I work, so that's handy. The test strips go in the trash.

 

Anything that has blood on it is considered hazardous waste. I routinely put mine in the sharps container. Can't find a problem with that. We also have a sharps disposal available in my area. We don't even have to use a specific sharps container. I use old bleach and detergent bottles, mark them as sharps and when full put the cap on and seal it with duct tape. It works and the price is good. Good luck from Jane and Stewey.

 

Never thought of that, I have been putting them in the trash. I`ll check with the City and see what they say.

 

You can check to see your local regs, but I always put the test strips in the trash. Worrying about the extremely small amount of blood on a test strip seems to be overkill.

The blood on test strips has been "sucked" into the strip and not readily available to contaminate anything. If you cut your finger do you put the gauze strip or bandaid in a hazardous waste container? How about used sanitary products?

 

Good point Debby. I hadn't thought about it that way.

 

I must be doing something wrong. Most of my strips also have blood on the outside.