Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Found a full sharps bin in new house

109 replies

Sharpsbin · 31/01/2022 20:57

I have sealed it so it isn't hazardous, but I cannot find any way to dispose of it. Local chemists won't take it, told me to call local council environmental health. Council told me to contact local chemists.
Obviously can't put it in the bin.
There is no name/number/identifying feature of the provider or recipient on it.
I have been trying for 3 weeks to find a way of disposing of it safely.
I have no idea where to try next.
I don't know where the vendors have moved to or even if it belonged to them.
Would be grateful for any suggestions.
TIA

OP posts:
Pudmyboy · 31/01/2022 21:55

@Classicblunder

Just wrap them up and put them in the bin.

We have spent hours and hours trying to dispose of my son's ones properly - GP says pharmacy says council says GP etc etc

Please DON'T do this! For safety the contents of a sharps bin need to be incinerated at a specific temperature, not put in landfill!!
whichiswitch · 31/01/2022 21:56

That health watch kirklees website has a list of pharmacies and gp surgeries that take sharps bins. Hopefully there's one near you.

Bells3032 · 31/01/2022 21:59

@Pudmyboy agreed which is why its so redic they make it so hard to act responsibly

Joystir59 · 31/01/2022 22:01

I had this with a sharps bin we'd used when my wife was self injecting anticoagulants after surgery. In the aftermath of her death dealing with the sharps bin that noone wanted was too much so I ended up sticking in the rubbish.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 31/01/2022 22:02

@Joystir59

I had this with a sharps bin we'd used when my wife was self injecting anticoagulants after surgery. In the aftermath of her death dealing with the sharps bin that noone wanted was too much so I ended up sticking in the rubbish.
Exactly what I did, tried for ages to get rid of mine after surgery , bloody impossible so binned it.
Postdatedpandemic · 31/01/2022 22:04

Sharps bin are rather difficult to get rid of. It is common to just get sent round in circles. Have you thought of moving and leaving it behind (only slightly joking).

LondonQueen · 31/01/2022 22:13

Our local vet takes them. If yours wont could you wrap it very well and put it in the general waste bin?

LatteLady · 31/01/2022 22:19

Go onto your Council website and find the cabinet member who is in charge of your refuse collections and email them. I think you will find that it will be dealt with once you have notified the appropriate Councillor.

GreenCareBear · 31/01/2022 22:22

No advice because we managed to dispose of ours via a chemist which obviously you’ve tried, but our previous house owners did this as well 🤮 what is wrong with people!

nzborn · 31/01/2022 22:22

Phone your local council they will give you a pick up date and they ask you to leave it outside.

IwishICouldTurnBackTime · 31/01/2022 22:28

Do take photos of the sharps bin and the mess they left and contact your solicitor. The vendors would've signed a property information form that includes agreeing that all items will be removed.

TheLoupGarou · 31/01/2022 22:30

In my area there are definitely some pharmacies that take them. When I worked in urgent care in local hospital people used to occasionally bring them in to be disposed of as well

Squills · 31/01/2022 22:31

You say you’ve sealed the box up so it isn’t hazardous so just put it in a bin bag and put it in the bin.

I don’t understand why you think you can’t dispose of it in this way. No-one’s going to rummage through your bin and the sharps box is designed to keep the contents safe within.

Toddlerteaplease · 31/01/2022 22:34

Do you know any nurses who could take it to work to dispose of? That's what I did with my own sharps bin and I also did it when my dad had one. No one noticed!

BoodleBug51 · 31/01/2022 22:35

My Dad uses needles for injecting methotrexate, and he swaps his sharp bin at his pharmacy that issues his prescriptions. Sounds like he's lucky that he's never had any issues.......

HunterHearstHelmsley · 31/01/2022 22:36

@BoodleBug51

My Dad uses needles for injecting methotrexate, and he swaps his sharp bin at his pharmacy that issues his prescriptions. Sounds like he's lucky that he's never had any issues.......
Certain pharmacies are commissioned for needle exchange. Some aren't.
Original poster
Sharpsbin · 31/01/2022 22:37

I am going to get in touch with the Kirklees service and if no joy there I will take it to the needle exchange.
Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
TroysMammy · 31/01/2022 22:38

I'm a GP Receptionist and I would have filled in a form and emailed it to the Hospital department who deal with it. I can't remember the department it could be as I'm not in work until Wednesday. As your GP Receptionist is so unhelpful ring your local hospital.

dina77 · 31/01/2022 22:40

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Phrenologistsfinger · 31/01/2022 22:42

Don’t your vendors need to pay to remove any waste left behind in property? If it wasn’t on your fixtures form then it’s not part of the sale. Contact their lawyers/agents or just it mail it to them via their lawyers!

Jinglebellsoncake · 31/01/2022 22:44

Could you contact the estate agent and ask for the vendors address?

Sidge · 31/01/2022 22:46

I work in a GP surgery. We don’t take patients sharps bins as the local council are contracted to take them. We have to pay to dispose of our own clinical waste and sharps bins, and will not take patients.

Our council has a clinical waste scheme so once you’ve contacted them they’ll arrange regular or one off collections.

I appreciate there are regional variations. Sounds like your area is especially awkward!

AWryGiraffe · 31/01/2022 22:49

Ring the Kirklees substance misuse service - they will manage the needle exchange element of treatment including the pharmacy provision. CGL deliver the Kirklees service, contact them here:

www.changegrowlive.org/chart-kirklees/huddersfield

TodayIamFree · 31/01/2022 22:50

Like a pp said drugs services take them and don't care where they have come from as they just want them off the streets.
Here's a link to one near you
www.changegrowlive.org/chart-kirklees

Lysianthus · 31/01/2022 22:53

@Classicblunder

Just wrap them up and put them in the bin.

We have spent hours and hours trying to dispose of my son's ones properly - GP says pharmacy says council says GP etc etc

Obviously please don’t do that.

Lots of good suggestions from PP and you could call Stericycle or Medisort too. But Council as @mightytights4 says have to help.