Epipens: How do you get rid of them?

[desperatehouswife]

I have some out of date epipens that I can't seem to get rid of. Two chemists have told me they can't take them and I should give them to my GP. But I think when I tried this before, they wouldn't take them either. Think the nusre took pity on me last time!

Any suggestions? They are unused, just out of date. Thanks

Well still no word from the school nurse so I think safe to say she doesn't want them. Will have to try 'hazardous waste' next week!

I recently did a pediatric (sp) first aid course and the medics there said they need old epipens to do training with...
I got rid of three...

So I need to find out who does paediatric first aid training in West London. any ideas?

At long last...after being told that council won't collect them (even though their website says they do!) and trying in vain to contact the pct (no-one returned my call), I phoned my GP surgery today.

The receptionist told me to take them to the pharmacy! Luckily when I said they wouldn't take them, she offered to put them in their sharps box. Hurray!

I keep mine and when I need to show someone how to use the epipen I don't bother with the trainer but instead use an expired one and an orange.

But afterwards I just jam a cork on the end wrap them up in a lot of kitchen roll and stick them in the bin.

to think I am not supposed to, I thought that the sharps thing only applied to used needles etc. I mean, when you are throwing away a broken glass or a old skewer or darning needle you don't worry do you? Or should you? Oh dear, I am going to have to have a re-think !!

Thanks for drawing this to my attention.

Our local pharmacy (Boots) and GP won't take them. We have to take ours to the hospital. And we got a sharps bin on prescription.

My GP was appalled when he heard that we had previously had Epipens for over 10 years without anyone ever telling us we should (a) have a sharps bin and (b) dispose of them properly!

May I suggest you use the expired epipens to re train yourselves in their use? I have been using the expired ones of DS to train near family, friends and babysitter about how to apply them. (with the help of an orange)

You may all be aware of this by now but Epipen modified their models slightly a couple of years ago, so please check the instructions of the new ones again to familiarise yourselves with the new process.

A safe way to get rid of them if nobody wants to take them is to empty the solution (such as using it on an orange) and stick the needle on a piece of cork. Then put it back on its box and bin it.

I don't think I would be happy just putting them in the bin, even with a cork on the needle. I would be worried that the cork would become dislodged and the pen would be lying around as landfill somewhere waiting to stab someone.

It does seem silly to have to have a sharps box prescribed just to throw away 2/3 epipens every couple of years.

I phoned my GP about this, after reading this thread, especially as we'd used ours on some oranges, so nice long needles sticking out.

We were told, just put them in a plastic bottle so they can't fall out, & put them in the normal rubbish. So we did! Seriously, because all our rubbish is now in wheelie bins it seemed ok to do this, but it was really well wrapped up.