Sharps...

[deema]

Yep. I'm sure our binmen would really appreciate that....

Wheele bin, bin people never touch the contents, and you put broken glass in your waste bin?

 

[AJB Temple]

Depending on where you live perhaps. In Kent if you need to dispose of needles, then the doctor prescribes a sharps box when you first need the needles on s script, and pharmacy supples. When it is full you ring up the local authority and they collect the full one and replace it with a new one.

 

[Diver Fred]

When my last tenant moved out he left behind to 'Sharps' bins. Tried everywhere to get them disposed of, (his) Doctor's, local hospitals, Pharmacy - no one wanted to know. Then I found out that the local waste (the council dust bin service) service incinerates the rubbish they collect. So I taped the 2 bins together and put them in the dust bin of collection day.
The incineration plant collects the metal that passes through the plant - apparently most metal is melted and drops out of the ash into pea sized grains.

 

[Duncan A]

Local tips usually (always?) have a skip for metal items that don't go out with normal recycling. I just put such items (bandsaw blades etc) in a suitable bin then put them in the skip.
By the time I've got enough to be worth taking down, I've usually also got a collection of batteries, paint tins, wood, MDF, old tech items etc, so it's not a wasted journey for me. Having said that, the tip is only about 5 minutes away and I've got room to safely store all this junk until the allotted day.
..... and no children to hurt themselves on said junk!

 

[Ollie78]

I just use an old tin with a lid which I cut slot in and tape with duct tape currently a baby milk powder can. When its full the local metal collector is happy to take it.

 

[Hutzul]

I get mine from Boots but I agree that some chemists are not interested in selling them.

I'm diabetic and inject every day, so I have a lot of disposable needles to get rid of but the chemist who supplies these needles and my insulin will not provide a sharps box!

I get a sharps box for my insulin needles from my chemist. When full the chemist takes the full box for disposal : simples !

 

[Blackswanwood]

Hi-tech workshop sharps bin. Patent pending.

 

[MarkAW]

Sharps bins are for the biohazard aspect. I don't believe recycling is manhandled (unless bags are use rather than a wheelie bin) Probably an electromagnet used to separate the bulk of metal

 

[carpenteire2009]

My solution is similar to blackswanwood's above- I have a glass jam jar, with a slot cut in the lid for all my old blades. I put any old bladses- stanley, snap-off, razor blades etc. in there. When it's full I empty into an old steel can (clean paint cans are ideal), seal down the top and put it in my recycling bin for collection. I try to avoid visiting our local "civic amenity" as it's called, so any and all metal recyclables are stripped down and cut up, if needed, so they'll fit in the bin. Medical sharps are a biohazard so I wouldn't do that with them, but otherwise metal blades, once safely packed, are just another piece of raw material that's going back into the recycling stream to be used again.

 

[okeydokey]

I like the carpenteire approach which works on the basis that any metal that can be ordinarily recycled as above goes in the recycling bin.
I would happily put the odd screw or nail or 10 in as well. While thinking about it what about putting a worn out door hinge and odd bits of smallish metal as well or a saucepan. I'm told by the senior household engineer lady that's is not allowed ..... WHY?
Surely it saves the waste collection contractor time in finding metal in the black sack waste?
Yes I know that some of these items should be driven to the recycling centre/rubbish dump and then I could start a conversation about air pollution and etc but I'm not.