What do you do with your sharps?

[PoohBear]

This is the first time I have had to deal with this. I guess I could pack my sharps containers in my suitcase (Oops, can I?) and use that while I am in the room but what about the sharps I use in the park?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

When I am traveling I will use a clear plastic water or soda bottle as a sharps container and leve it, with the cap on, in the middle of the desk when I check out. It will then be treated as a sharps container by the hotel's housekeepinjg department.

And when I am out for the day, or in a park, or other location I just put the used ones in whatever I am using to carry them. If it is a pen needle the seal will be off. If it is a syringe I will cap the needle but not the plunger, so I know what is used. Likewise for a testing lancet, I will put the removable cap on the point sideways. I will then transfer them when I get back to my room or to home.

 

[PoohBear]

Thanks, I knew you would know.

 

[clhcpaca]

I have a small black cosmetic bag with a zipper, about 3" square, that I put my sharps in to take them back home.

Cindy

 

[peemagg]

I saw at Walmart the other day in the section where the accucheck supplies are a small hard sided medicine case. It would be great for those of you with diabetes or needing to carry needles. It totally protects all of you gear and if you decided to take your used sharps home with you, it would protect everyone, due to the hardsides.

 

[SueM in MN]

At your resort, you can request a sharps container from Housekeeping. That way, you will have a safe container to leave the sharps in and the Housekeeping staff will be protected.
Some restrooms do have sharps containers and you can always dispose of sharps safely in First Aid in any of the parks.

 

[cclovesdis]

First aid is great. I definitely second going there. The nurse there was so helpful. I went in with one lancet (I don't have diabetes. I was going through a streak where I would fall low and needed to know how low I was going.) and she was like, "Abolutely. Whatever you need and whenever." She even offerred a great suggestion for how I could bring my glucose level up to a better level considering my other dietary restrictions. First aid is great!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I carry syringes and insulin in a hard eye glasses case (Mickey Mouse of course). I will keep the used ones in there during the day and transfer to an empty water bottle in the room.

 

[PatsMom]

Since I was able to stop doing Lantus, I have only pen needles now. When I am out and about I put the used needles back in the wristlet I use to carry my Byetta pen. You can tell which ones are used because they are open.

When I return to the room, I put them in an empty water bottle and when I check out I leave it prominently on a table.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

They sell packs of white portable sharps cases. Just make sure you don't put the lid on the side that locks it or you can't open it again. Get a sharps container from housekeeping.

I'm going to be honest: I hate the idea of people putting sharps in water bottles or other unapproved containers. Even if the sharps are obvious or you write sharps on it, there is still a chance somebody could get poked. Particularly with a water bottle, that plastic is very thin. If they're providing free sharps containers, I don't get why you wouldn't use it? I hope this is not coming across as an attack, it's not. Just my opinion.

 

[SueM in MN]

They sell packs of white portable sharps cases. Just make sure you don't put the lid on the side that locks it or you can't open it again. Get a sharps container from housekeeping.

I'm going to be honest: I hate the idea of people putting sharps in water bottles or other unapproved containers. Even if the sharps are obvious or you write sharps on it, there is still a chance somebody could get poked. Particularly with a water bottle, that plastic is very thin. If they're providing free sharps containers, I don't get why you wouldn't use it? I hope this is not coming across as an attack, it's not. Just my opinion.

I would agree with you.
Even with 'sharps' written on the bottle and being able to see inside, there is a chance (a pretty good chance because many are not native English speakers) that the Housekeeper may not recognize what it actually is. The risk of being stuck is small IF all the safety devices are correctly engaged. But, if any are not, a needle or lancet can easily pierce the thin plastic.

Most people don't think about what happens next to their sharps. Some states and/or local laws allow individual people to dispose of sharps in their household trash if they use a thick rigid plastic container ( like a liquid laundry container). Some require a special sticker, others that the cap be taped on with 'sharps' written on the tape.
I do not know what the law for businesses is in Florida, but in many states, they are required to dispose of sharps in approved, rigid plastic sharps containers with locking tops so the sharps can't be accidentally removed (and to make it difficult for someone to get to the sharps for abuse). This is the type of sharps container that would be provided by Housekeeping.
Again, I don't know what Florida laws are, but in many states, a business can be fined if sharps in non-approved containers are found in their trash when it gets to the disposal site.
If guests leave sharps in a non approved container, the Housekeeper may have a large approved container thst the bottle will fit in, but I doubt that. It's most likely that the water bottle full of sharps will just end up with the regular trash (possibly putting someone at risk further down the line). It's also possible that the Housekeeper will need to remove them from the unapproved container and transfer them to an approved one.

So, ask Housekeeping for a container. If they don't provide one, then you will need to come up with something.

 

[PatsMom]

They sell packs of white portable sharps cases. Just make sure you don't put the lid on the side that locks it or you can't open it again. Get a sharps container from housekeeping.

I'm going to be honest: I hate the idea of people putting sharps in water bottles or other unapproved containers. Even if the sharps are obvious or you write sharps on it, there is still a chance somebody could get poked. Particularly with a water bottle, that plastic is very thin. If they're providing free sharps containers, I don't get why you wouldn't use it? I hope this is not coming across as an attack, it's not. Just my opinion.

Twice I have asked for a sharps container at Disney. The first time was at Fort Wilderness - after the front desk person talked to three other people, they said they would send housekeeping to our cabin with a container. We waited and no one ever showed up. Called housekeeping - they knew nothing but would send someone. Sometime the next morning a container showed up.

The other time I asked was at the Boardwalk. After several phone calls, we gave up and I reverted to my water bottle. (beer bottles work better now that they are plastic since they are thicker).

I seriously doubt that anyone is going to get poked from a pen needle - you would really have to work at it. And the syringes I used to use for the Lantus were re-capped when I put them in the bottle. Tough to get poked with that as well.

I don't use the free sharps containers because it is not worth the hassle to obtain one. I can't speak for anyone else. Disney knows who was in the room - if they had an issue with how I dispose of my sharps wouldn't they have contacted me?

 

[melisandes]

The law is odd about sharps on airplanes. Used sharps are pretty much an absolute no no. Only medically needy sharps like those for diabetics are allowed. I know tattoo artists who are not allowed to fly with needs for their tattoo guns regardless for this reason. It is technically a weapon. Do what others have said and ask for a container from housekeeping or stop by first aid during your trip around the parks. They will also hold your insulin for you if needed.

 

[Figaro]

At home, my used insulin syringes are re-capped and wrapped in duct tape around and over the top of the needle cap. They are then put into an empty laundry detergent container and discarded in the garbage. When we are traveling, I do the same thing to my used needles with the duct tape, as my husband never leaves home without it. After they are taped I either put them into an empty water bottle and bring them home to join the others in the empty laundry detergent container or put them into a hotel sharps container and leave them at the hotel.

I always duct tape over the re-capped, used syringes when I am done using them. Always. Someone would have to work quite hard to get stuck with one my used syringes and I never worry about that whether at home or when we travel.

 

[PatsMom]

At home, my used insulin syringes are re-capped and wrapped in duct tape around and over the top of the needle cap. They are then put into an empty laundry detergent container and discarded in the garbage. When we are traveling, I do the same thing to my used needles with the duct tape, as my husband never leaves home without it. After they are taped I either put them into an empty water bottle and bring them home to join the others in the empty laundry detergent container or put them into a hotel sharps container and leave them at the hotel.

I always duct tape over the re-capped, used syringes when I am done using them. Always. Someone would have to work quite hard to get stuck with one my used syringes and I never worry about that whether at home or when we travel.

I never thought of duct taping the needles. I don't have syringes right now, just pen needles. Duct tape would eliminate any slight possibility that some one could stick themselves during transfer! I might do that next time I go to WDW (in January!). Or maybe since everyone except me seems to have no trouble getting a sharps container delivered to their room I'll give it a third try to see if they've improved over the years.

When my laundry bottle of sharps is full I duct tape it closed and mark it before I put it in the trash. I have mandatory recycling here in my town so it has to be clearly identified or I will be in trouble for having a recyclable in my "regular" trash.

 

[Belle & Ariel]

We keep our son's used sharps in a ziploc bag. Near the end of the trip we dispose of them in first aid. They will lead you to an exam room and you personally drop them in the box. It is easier to bring them home to dispose of and we usually do that when we drive.