Medical waste/ sharps containers along CF?

[AlexanderAZ]

Does anyone know where to access "Sharps containers" for disposal of medical waste (syringe/needles) along CF from SJPdP? Are they available in all albergues? Standard in all hotels? I am unfamiliar with protocols in Spain insofar as this issue. For those who don't know what I'm referring to here is a pic of one (which is on wall at my gym)...

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I have never seen any, not even in airports.

What might work is if you keep your used needles in a case that closes well and take them to medical clinics when you are in a larger town/village, or perhaps even to farmacias. Those can be found anywhere.

 

[KinkyOne]

As Anemone suggested the pharmacies would be the best place to dispose them as they are in many cases right on the Camino (Frances). Same as her I haven't seen any disposable containers. Anywhere.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hi Alexander , I helpt several Pilgrims with there blisters with using needles.
I disposed the needles at a pharmacia , no problemen what so ever.

Wish hou Well , Peter .

 

[SabsP]

Hi . The pharmacies will take them when in a container. No worries.

 

[AlexanderAZ]

It is not practical to bring a plethora of extra containers to deposit.

 

[SabsP]

It is not practical to bring a plethora of extra containers to deposit.

Alexander, it might be interesting to mail a pharmacy in Spain. Here in Belgian pharmacies you can buy specific containers for medical syringes. Seeing how professional the Spanish pharmacies are and well stocked they might sell them too. So you could use one small container on the Camino and deposit the content in the bigger one when in a town with a pharmacy.

I have the mail adress of a friendly pharmacist in Sahagun who helped me very well with some of my meds issues.

 

[SYates]

It is not practical to bring a plethora of extra containers to deposit.

Just put the cap back on the needle, keep safe f.e. in an outside pocket of your backpack and deposit it at the next pharmacy you walk by. No need for you to carry a container. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Anemone del Camino]

It is not practical to bring a plethora of extra containers to deposit.

This looks quite practical to me, and won't injure fellow walkers, just for convinience.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006AZZQG2/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

I always take a few needles for blister treatment .
One time use only. After using back in the smal container and leave it at the pharmacie .
Wish you well,Peter.

 

[AlexanderAZ]

Thanks. I'm not new to medical waste/sharps containers as I've used a myriad of different styles. I'm going to carry 2 containers, 1 used and 1 unused. I would like to empty the *contents* of the used along the way, not the entire container. That was my original question, where to do so. Carrying multiple containers where I would be depositing content AND container along the way is not practical.

 

[SabsP]

Thanks. I'm not new to medical waste/sharps containers as I've used a myriad of different styles. I'm going to carry 2 containers, 1 used and 1 unused. I would like to empty the *contents* of the used along the way, not the entire container. That was my original question, where to do so. Carrying multiple containers where I would be depositing content AND container along the way is not practical.

So yes, no problem to empty the contents on the way at a local pharmacy.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Carrying multiple containers where I would be depositing content AND container along the way is not practical.

Did anyone suggest that?

 

[AlexanderAZ]

Did anyone suggest that?

The Amazon link you posted above is a single use container (unable to be reused or emptied along route).

 

[SabsP]

The Amazon link you posted above is a single use container (unable to be reused or emptied along route).

If you could tell us how big the daily content would be of your specific container ?
Don't worry too much.

Spain is a highly developed country with one of the best medical care facilities I have ever seen. And with more than knowledgeable pharmacists.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

The Amazon link you posted above is a single use container (unable to be reused or emptied along route).

Well, i thought I had read the instructions and it mentioned how it can fit a number of needles and how to open it. I assumed that made it reusable. I appologise if it is not.

 

[AlexanderAZ]

After walking CF-Fisterra-Muxia last fall I will take time to answer my own question for anyone else who peruses through this post wanting the same answers I did. I did not find any albergues that had obvious medical waste containers but it was easy enough to drop used syringes/needles at many of the pharmacias, particularly in the larger cities as well as *any* health center along the way.