Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRisks of Improper DisposalEpiPen IngredientsEPA RecommendationsDisposing Used EpiPensDisposing Expired EpiPensMistakes to Avoid
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Risks of Improper Disposal
EpiPen Ingredients
EPA Recommendations
Disposing Used EpiPens
Disposing Expired EpiPens
Mistakes to Avoid
It’s common for people with severefood allergiesto carry anEpiPen. This is a pen-like device prefilled with a drug calledepinephrinethat you inject into yourself in the event of an allergic emergency. The injection immediately opens the airways and relieves potentially life-threatening symptoms of severe allergic reactions likeanaphylaxis.
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EpiPens don’t last forever and need to be disposed of if used orexpired. If this happens, you can’t just toss them into the wastebasket. The devices need to be disposed of properly to prevent harm to others.
This article explains why used EpiPens are considered hazardous waste and some of their disposal laws. It also explains how to dispose of an EpiPen, whether used or expired, safely.
Dangers of Improper EpiPen Disposal
EpiPens are comprised of a prefilled cartridge of epinephrine and a spring-loaded plunger that propels a needle into the skin when pressed against the outer thigh.
Any medical devices that can puncture or cut the skin are known as “sharps.“You should treat used sharps, including EpiPens, as hazardous waste to avoid spreading bloodborne diseases such asHIV,hepatitis B, andhepatitis C.
In medical practice, the proper handling of sharps is part of a practice known asstandard precautions(formerly “universal precautions”) used to avoid the spread of disease in healthcare settings.
The same precautions are needed at home with devices like EpiPens. If not disposed of properly, family members, housekeepers, janitors, or sanitation workers might accidentally get stuck with a needle while handling garbage.Standard precautions prevent disease transmission, however low or high the risk might be.
RecapTreat used or expired EpiPens as hazardous waste to avoid needlestick injuries that can potentially spread bloodborne diseases like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.
Recap
Treat used or expired EpiPens as hazardous waste to avoid needlestick injuries that can potentially spread bloodborne diseases like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.
What to Do If You Have a Sharps Injury
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Sharps Disposal Regulations
FDA-cleared sharps containers should be:
You can find FDA-cleared sharps containers at pharmacies, medical supply companies, healthcare providers, and online. If a sharps container is not available, you can use strong, sealable plastic containers (like a used laundry detergent container) in its place.
When the container is three-quarters full, it is usually handed to a designated community disposal program to be emptied. With that said, state laws vary, some of which carry heavy penalties if guidelines are not adhered to.
In Texas, for example, you can put sharps into any strong, sealable plastic container (like a used laundry detergent container) and throw it away with regular garbage after marking “DO NOT RECYCLE” on the outside.
By contrast, California law requires you to take all sharps containers to a designated disposal site. Penalties of up to $70,000 may be applied if hazardous wastes are improperly and wantonly disposed of.
Check with your state department of health if you are unsure how to properly dispose of sharps, including EpiPens. Your local sanitation department can also usually help.
RecapThe EPA recommends that used or expired sharps, including EpiPens, be placed in a sharps container and disposed of per state law. Check with your local department of health as state laws vary and penalties may apply if sharps are improperly disposed of.
The EPA recommends that used or expired sharps, including EpiPens, be placed in a sharps container and disposed of per state law. Check with your local department of health as state laws vary and penalties may apply if sharps are improperly disposed of.
How to Dispose of Used Auto-Injectors
If you have used an EpiPen, immediately return it to its container to avoid a needlestick injury. If you have a sharps container, you can place it there. If you don’t have a sharps container, you can put it in a heavy, sealable plastic container until you are ready to dispose of it.
Some states allow you to transport used EpiPens in medical waste bags. These puncture-resistant bags are usually color-coded red and clearly labeled with a biohazard symbol. Some healthcare providers will offer these to patients who use EpiPens.
There are several places you can take a used EpiPen:
If you called an ambulance due to an anaphylactic emergency, you could give them the auto-injector to dispose of.
How to Dispose of Expired Auto-Injectors
If your EpiPen is unused and expired, you can dispose of it through drug take-back programs in many communities. While these are generally intended for controlled medications likeopioid drugs, you can use them to dispose of any unused medicine.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has a registry of authorized drug take-back locations, which you can access through the EPA’sonline locator.
Some pharmacies also offer on-site drop-off boxes, mail-back programs, and other ways to help you safely dispose of unused medicines. Your healthcare provider will also usually take back and dispose of expired auto-injectors.
How Long Do EpiPens Last?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The problem with this, of course, is that people often do not check their EpiPens until they need it. By that time, the drug may be tainted or have expired. Because epinephrine is so unstable, the expiration date is relatively short—usually one year from the date of manufacture.
To avoid unexpected problems with your EpiPen:
RecapAlways check the expiration date on your EpiPen and replace it before it expires. Avoid exposing an EpiPen to extreme heat or cold as the drug is unstable and can quickly lose its potency.
Always check the expiration date on your EpiPen and replace it before it expires. Avoid exposing an EpiPen to extreme heat or cold as the drug is unstable and can quickly lose its potency.
4 Best Carrying Cases for Your EpiPen
Summary
A used or expired EpiPen should not be tossed into the garbage as it can cause a needlestick injury in someone handling the bag. Needlestick injuries can potentially expose people to bloodborne diseases like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV.
Ensure that you always have an adequate stock of EpiPens on hand. Check the expiration date, replace them if they are due to expire, and avoid exposing the autoinjector to extreme cold or heat.
A Word From Verywell
If your doctor recommends an EpiPen auto-injector, it is because you are at high risk of severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions. This means that you always need to carry an auto-injector with you, especially when you travel.
When traveling with EpiPens, do not leave them in your checked luggage or carry them in an inside jacket pocket where they can get overheated. Consider taking a portable sharps container, available online and in many drugstores, if you are on extended travel.
Allergy Medications and Airport Security
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Posner LS, Camargo CA.Update on the usage and safety of epinephrine auto-injectors, 2017.Drug Healthc Patient Saf.2017;9:9–18. doi:10.2147/DHPS.S121733Food and Drug Administration.Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel.Curran ET.Standard precautions: what is meant and what is not.J Hosp Infect.2015 May;90(1):10–11. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2014.12.020Goodall N.Guideline review: epinephrine use in anaphylaxis (AAP guideline 2017).Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2020;105(1):38-40. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2017-314592Environmental Protection Agency.Medical waste.Food and Drug Administration.Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel.Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.Disposing of syringes from households: do’s and don’ts.California Legislature.Chapter 9. containment and storage [118275 - 118320].
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Posner LS, Camargo CA.Update on the usage and safety of epinephrine auto-injectors, 2017.Drug Healthc Patient Saf.2017;9:9–18. doi:10.2147/DHPS.S121733Food and Drug Administration.Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel.Curran ET.Standard precautions: what is meant and what is not.J Hosp Infect.2015 May;90(1):10–11. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2014.12.020Goodall N.Guideline review: epinephrine use in anaphylaxis (AAP guideline 2017).Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2020;105(1):38-40. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2017-314592Environmental Protection Agency.Medical waste.Food and Drug Administration.Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel.Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.Disposing of syringes from households: do’s and don’ts.California Legislature.Chapter 9. containment and storage [118275 - 118320].
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Posner LS, Camargo CA.Update on the usage and safety of epinephrine auto-injectors, 2017.Drug Healthc Patient Saf.2017;9:9–18. doi:10.2147/DHPS.S121733Food and Drug Administration.Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel.Curran ET.Standard precautions: what is meant and what is not.J Hosp Infect.2015 May;90(1):10–11. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2014.12.020Goodall N.Guideline review: epinephrine use in anaphylaxis (AAP guideline 2017).Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2020;105(1):38-40. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2017-314592Environmental Protection Agency.Medical waste.Food and Drug Administration.Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel.Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.Disposing of syringes from households: do’s and don’ts.California Legislature.Chapter 9. containment and storage [118275 - 118320].
Posner LS, Camargo CA.Update on the usage and safety of epinephrine auto-injectors, 2017.Drug Healthc Patient Saf.2017;9:9–18. doi:10.2147/DHPS.S121733
Food and Drug Administration.Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel.
Curran ET.Standard precautions: what is meant and what is not.J Hosp Infect.2015 May;90(1):10–11. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2014.12.020
Goodall N.Guideline review: epinephrine use in anaphylaxis (AAP guideline 2017).Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2020;105(1):38-40. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2017-314592
Environmental Protection Agency.Medical waste.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.Disposing of syringes from households: do’s and don’ts.
California Legislature.Chapter 9. containment and storage [118275 - 118320].
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