Donating unused needles and syringes?

[AnonymousName]

I had a few rounds of IVF (successful eventually ) and I've been left with lots of leftover syringes and needles. I know that I can return them to a pharmacy where they will be destroyed, but it seems wasteful - does anybody know of any charities which would accept them for use? Thanks.

[EdtheBear]

Hand them back to fertility clinic. They can be used for learning how to do injections.

[EdtheBear]

I should add two different Boots refused to take mine back. They suggested the local needle exchange but couldn't tell me where it was..
Boots took the used ones in the sealed bin. But not the ones which were unused.

[jaggynettle]

At work we give our unused ones to the PDSA

[AnonymousName]

Thanks for your replies.

The fertility clinic is a long way away now, but I could offer them to somewhere more local for that purpose, I suppose.

I'm somehow not surprised by the uselessness of that advice! Services like needle exchanges don't seem to be brilliantly signposted (but I haven't looked before).

The PDSA isn't a bad idea. I generally prefer to donate to human charities than animal ones, but I know that the PDSA do a lot of good work, and people get a lot of joy from their pets!

[FadedRed]

The same problem with medical supplies as with unused medication. Whilst you know they were stored correctly, the healthcare provider cannot trust you that they were. So traceability is compromised. So they cannot be used on other humans. In fact I’m a bit that a vet would accept them.
Unless you really feel you want them out of your house, then keep them for your own use. A syringe can be used for removing splinters, with a needle you can insert alcohol into cakes, oil into squeaky door hinges, lots of other uses. Or take them back to the pharmacy and ask them to dispose of them.

[EdtheBear]

Or take them back to the pharmacy and ask them to dispose of them

That's easier said than done! Pharmacies are only set up to take back sharps in sealed bins. They won't take unused needles unless you put them in a bin.
The PDSA seems a good option or ask your GP if they can take them.

[AnonymousName]

There are far too many for me to ever require them for household use, and to be honest I'm only just dealing with them now after a relatively long period of studiously avoiding the cupboard in which they lived because the process of fertility treatment was so traumatic. I hoped that there may be some further good which could come from them, but if not I will have to find a way to dispose of them because I am ready to move forward away from everything they represent!

[Passthecherrycoke]

I’ve just tried to dispose of used needles after a hospital Stay and couldn’t find a pharmacy that would take them despite midwives saying they would. They went to the GP at the end- obviously a different situation OP but just wanted to save you going to lots of pharmacies!

[AnonymousName]

Thanks - I'll ask my local one but probably not waste too much of my life on it then. It's so daft that it is seemingly impossible to do what we're told to do!

[SeptemberDays]

Surely there's a charity that would take them to third world countries. They reuse the needles often anyway (which is why you're advised to buy your own if you need any treatment) so I can't see cross contamination being an issue. I can't remember the charity but we had a box at work asking for unopened unneeded medicines which i would have thought would take them.

[FadedRed]

I can sympathise with your desire to get them out of the house and not be a constant reminder.
Tbh a pack of 100 syringes and needles retail at £10-15 depending on size (less to NHS and private healthcare organisations) so unless you have hundreds then disposal really isn’t much of a financial ‘waste’, and the cost of processing this to a developing countries can be more expensive than just putting them in to waste disposal.

[Teddybear45]

Do you have a local charity that supports drug addicts. They often welcome sealed boxes of sterile injections.

[B4ng]

I am currently running a petition which covers this issue having had two traumatic health in my family over the last couple of years - the first one being in connection with post delivery problems for a close relative. We need to work together tonreduce waste of NHS medicines and equipment. Please see my petition and sign and share if you agree. Here is the link
chng.it/PDLCHdQM

[1leelee1]

I have just had a round of IVF with loads of needles left over. After searching for ages I found this organisation - www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/activities/societies/society/medaid/

They distribute unwanted medical equipment to developing countries. I emailed them and they are happy to accept these syringes as long as they are in the packets.