Why pens require special disposal
pens contain a needle (sharps) and residual medication. Both create hazards if disposed in regular trash:
- Needle stick injury — waste workers, family members, and recycling handlers can be punctured by improperly-discarded pens. Sharps injuries carry infection risk (HIV, hepatitis B/C).
- Drug residue — environmental contamination from active medication in landfills affects groundwater.
- Legal liability — many states classify improper sharps disposal as a violation with fines.
FDA-cleared sharps container — the gold standard
Use an FDA-cleared sharps container (red plastic, puncture-resistant, leak-proof, sealable). Available at:
- Pharmacies (typically $5-15) — CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, independent pharmacies all carry them
- Online (Amazon, sharpscontainer.com, etc.)
- Some manufacturers provide a free container with initial prescriptions
Place the entire used pen (with needle still attached, or needle separately) in the container. Don't recap the needle — recapping is the #1 cause of accidental needle sticks. Once container is full (≤3/4 full), seal it and dispose according to your state's rules.
What to do when the container is full
1. Mail-back programs
Several services accept mail-back of sealed sharps containers — convenient if your state doesn't offer drop-off:
- BD Sharps Disposal — buy a prepaid mailer kit, fill it, mail it back. ~$10-30 per container depending on size.
- Stericycle MedSafe / Inceptor — similar prepaid mail-back program.
- Manufacturer-specific programs — check Eli Lilly for any patient-support sharps disposal program.
2. Community drop-off locations
Many counties and states operate free or low-cost sharps drop-off programs:
- Hospitals and clinics — call ahead, some accept patient sharps containers
- Pharmacies — some pharmacies (especially independent ones) accept sealed sharps containers
- Solid waste / hazardous waste facilities — county-operated drop-offs
- Police and fire stations — some accept sharps containers as part of community safety programs
Search Eli Lilly's patient support site OR SafeNeedleDisposal.org for location finder.
3. Authorized waste haulers
For high-volume disposal (frequent injections, large containers), authorized medical waste haulers handle scheduled pickup. Typically used by clinics rather than patients.
What NOT to do
- Don't throw used pens in regular trash — illegal in many states, dangerous everywhere