The right way to dispose of your diabetes testing supplies

This Week's Tip The right way to dispose of your diabetes testing supplies Lancets (small needle-like items) that have been used to do a finger or alternate site stick for home blood sugar testing are considered household medical waste. They need to be disposed of carefully so that they do not injure another member of the household (including pets) or a sanitation worker. Talk to your doctor, certified diabetes educator, or call your public health department to learn about specific guidelines or laws about household medical waste disposal in your city or state. The main thing to remember is to NEVER throw used lancets directly into the trash—even if the small plastic cap has been replaced. Typically lancets should be disposed of one of two ways: 1. A sharps container. Most likely, you've seen these in your doctor's office. They are usually red and made of hard plastic. They are available for purchase in most pharmacies, and can occasionally be found free of charge at various community agencies. Typically, there is a fee for mail-away removal or a drop-off location.2. A hard, airtight container. If you don't have a sharps container, it is easy to make your own. Good options are empty detergent bottles, empty soda bottles, and empty milk jugs. When full, make sure the cap is secure and clearly mark the container with the word "sharps" in large letters. More Glucose Testing Tips More Tips for People with Diabetes   Diabetes Friendly Recipe BLT Dip My family absolutely loves this dip. It tastes just like a BLT! Get the Recipe See More Lower-Carb Recipes Nutritional Info Servings Per Recipe: 36  Amount Per Serving  Calories: 43.7 Total Fat: 3.7 g Cholesterol: 7.7 mg Sodium: 106.4 mg Total Carbs: 1.2 g   Dietary Fiber: 0.1 g Protein: 1.4 g View full nutritional breakdown of BLT Dip by ingredient     From Our Diabetes Community MUSHROOMS, 0 CALORIES, 0 Fat (Secrets of Success) points from the wheel (Team Forum) More Secrets of Success... More Forum Posts...       Was this e-mail forwarded to you by a friend? Join the mailing list. Change your e-mail address   You get 1 SparkPoint for reading today's email.   You received this email because you signed up for one of SparkPeople's email newsletters. To unsubscribe please do not reply to this message. Instead, you can use this link to unsubscribe from this newsletter. To remove yourself by postal mail, send a letter or postcard with your email address to: SparkPeople.com, 310 Culvert Street Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202 SparkPeople.com offers general information and is for educational purposes only. sparkpeople.com is not a prescription system and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult your health-care provider before starting any nutrition or fitness program, and should consult with your provider about any concerns or questions. © 1999-2014 SparkPeople, All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy