Diabetes and the Environment
Test strips, lancets, syringes, pill bottles, product packaging....diabetes can generate a small landfill in treatment-related trash over time. dLife has some helpful advice to keep your diabetes care routine as earth-friendly as possible. Find out more now.
Comments
- At 04:27 PM on Wed, May 2, 2007 linda wrote:
I have diabetes and lately my blood sugars run almost 500 I haven't changed a thing I eat right and I excerise it was always in control lately it out of control tell what you think is going on dr can't even give a good excuse think thank you.
- At 11:52 AM on Fri, Apr 27, 2007 william fitzwater wrote:
Disposal of sharps and infusion sets can be problematic but if you have the right container(s) and make sure you do this on a regular basis it should not make too much problems. It is also up to the manafcures to make thease devices recyclable or have end of life or exchange options for the end users. Since needles (infusion sets ) are a Biohazard it is very much a problem to rececyle and a disposal issue that will only grow with time.
Having lived with diabetes for over 40 years, I have probably have filled many a sharps container and, when a real sharps container wasn't available, many a 2 liter soda bottle.
The difference with me and many other people is that I put everything in my "container" except paper. I put all parts of the disposable needle, all parts of my infusion sets (because they are dangerous even if they weren't a biohazard), and all pieces of plastic that come from anything I use.
With regard to disposal of my "containers", I have several resources and I'm sure that everyone can tap into these same resources as well. BD has a mail in resource where you can actually purchase the container with return packaging included. They were dispose of the sharps container appropriately. This is for their containers only. I have spoken to several of my doctors' offices and several have agreed to let me leave a container for disposal. It takes me such a long time to fill one up now that I never have to bother anyone frequently. I have also, although this was several years ago, was able to leave my containers and the local naval clinic (my husband was active duty) and they were kind enough to accommodate me. It might be worth asking a local hospital since most of the larger facilities probably dispose of these materials onsite.
Just a thought and some ideas...we sure don't need to contribute to the landfill...it's bad enough as it is!!!