RED BOX
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RED BOX
| Tue, 09-16-2008 - 1:21pm |
hello all, I know I read on this site about having a red box to dispose of needles and that it was a law now. Well, I called Medco, my insurance company for prescriptions and they told me they never heard of this and don't know anything about a Red Box!!!! Did I imagine reading this????? lol

Sorry I misunderstood!
Could be tomorrow, could be years and years down the road. CA tends to march to its own drummer in a lot of ways that never quite make it past the Rockies.
--Deb
hi barbara
Barbara,
Thanks for your question because it allows me to tell you how you should be handling your needles and syringes. Your pen needles need to be put in a secure container. Since there isn't a red box law in your state, you can use any heavy walled container like a coffee can or a bleach container. You should also throw your lancets into this container. It is important that you not just toss them into the garbage if you can help it. When your container is full you need to put the lip back on it and tape it closed so that the lip can't come off. Your byetta syringe should be able to go into the garbage because it is empty when you are finished with it. The same can not be said for insulin syringes. They must going into the secure container but insulin vials can go into the garbage.
The concern in CA is that people are being injured by this medical waste because people have been putting them into the recycling bins. In my city the garbage company will be handing out red boxes at the farmer's market but I am not sure how the city wants to handle the return. I am concerned about low income folks who will now have to purchase these things and be prepared to dispose of them. My other concern is the lack of public education program to help people comply with this new law. I saw something about it the day before it took effect.