What happens to my psoriasis treatment syringe

[Fred]

Does anyone know what happens after we have used our single use syringes and am I doing it right ?

Once I'm finished here is what I do.

1. The swab I use to clean the skin goes in the bathroom waste bin.
   
2. The cardboard box, inner packaging, leaflet and needle cap I put in the recycle bin.
   
3. The syringe goes in my yellow sharps bin.
   

#1 I assume is going to landfill. Ok it's only one little pad, but am I right putting it in the general waste ?

#2 I'm guessing those can all be recycled, but should I put the cap and inner packaging in as they have been near the treatment could they contaminate ?

#3 When full I take my bin to the pharmacie and they give me a new one. But what happens to all those syringes ?

Thoughts ?

[Kat]

Hmm. Well I used the auto inject so all of that when into a sharpies bin and the cardboard box I threw out.

Riley got injections and until I had the biohazard sharpies container we would take her needles to the vet for his sharpie container but threw out the syringes.

My thought is the needles go into your skin so touch blood and stuff. The syringes stays outside. SO.... needles go to a sharpies container, cardboard/plastic could be recycled or thrown out. BUT since the syringe is in contact with the medication it wouldn't hurt to ask your pharmacist. Our pharmacy here has a medicine bin for throwing out unused meds. I throw out prescription bottles which could have medicine residue left behind. Hadn't really thought about it but am now.

[Kat]

Actually after a little thought on it. Over the counter medicine bottles even empty once had liquid or pills inside and I've thrown them out for years. They've never been considered a huge issue that I recall. So any medicine lingering on anything I would think would be such a small amount that it is of no concern. Recycling it would be cleaned away, buried at landfills but again small amounts. However, excess medicine should not be left in containers that are thrown out! That has been known to cause issues. So... I'm thinking a small residual amounts are okay. But just a guess going by not ever seeing anything saying otherwise.

[Fred]

  Hadn't really thought about it but am now. 

That's why I started the thread, to try and get some interest and wake up a few members.

[Kat]

I just saw where I said recycled it would be thrown cleaned, buried at landfills. Umm to clarify:

Recycled it would be cleaned prior to the process (at least I hope so)

If thrown away, it would be buried at landfills and although a concern, I would think it's a minor one (again, at least I hope so)

Well Fred you got ME thinking anyways.

[Fred]

Well Fred you got ME thinking anyways. 

That's two of us Kat, at least we tried to stimulate interest

[Caroline]

Well Fred you got ME thinking anyways. 

That's two of us Kat, at least we tried to stimulate interest

Well I am interested in needles, only not that ones…

I bet the needles are somehow being recycled. Yes, after a quick check, e.g. needles are being sterilised under temperatures of 450 degrees and then will go into grinding process that makes the material useful as base material for re-use.

Most of the other plastics will also be recycled.

[Fred]

Well Fred you got ME thinking anyways. 

That's two of us Kat, at least we tried to stimulate interest

Well I am interested in needles, only not that ones…

I bet the needles are somehow being recycled. Yes, after a quick check, e.g. needles are being sterilised under temperatures of 450 degrees and then will go into grinding process that makes the material useful as base material for re-use.

Most of the other plastics will also be recycled.

Three of us now.

So I'm guessing the plastic part of the syringe will just be burnt away to re-use the metal ? If that is the case wouldn't it be better to be able to remove the needle from the plastic syringe ?

[Caroline]

Well Fred you got ME thinking anyways. 

That's two of us Kat, at least we tried to stimulate interest

Well I am interested in needles, only not that ones…

I bet the needles are somehow being recycled. Yes, after a quick check, e.g. needles are being sterilised under temperatures of 450 degrees and then will go into grinding process that makes the material useful as base material for re-use.

Most of the other plastics will also be recycled.

Three of us now. 

So I'm guessing the plastic part of the syringe will just be burnt away to re-use the metal ? If that is the case wouldn't it be better to be able to remove the needle from the plastic syringe ?

If they are separated before, the plastic and the needle, i don't know but I guess they will be.
In the Netherlands there is an organisation called RedBag solutions, which does this recycling work.

[Fred]

I can't separate my syringes they are fixed and also have a metal spring.