Medical & Pharmaceuticals recycling
How to Recycle Diabetic Supplies
Blood glucose meters, test strips, and lancets used for diabetes management. Lancets are sharps and follow sharps-disposal rules. Used test strips need local or clinician guidance; meters are small electronics, and unopened supplies may have reuse or donation options when a recipient confirms acceptance.
Check local acceptanceDonation value for a working meter and unused supplies is typically well above any recycling valueLast reviewed August 28, 2026
Quick answer
Lancets and pen needles go in a sharps container immediately. For used test strips, follow your local waste or clinician guidance; do not put a strip with a lancet attached in regular trash. Reuse or donation options for working meters and unopened supplies vary, so confirm the recipient's policy first.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
- Typical value
- Donation value for a working meter and unused supplies is typically well above any recycling value
How to Prepare
- 1Put used lancets into a rigid, FDA-cleared sharps container immediately, the same as any other sharp
- 2Test that a glucose meter still works before offering it for donation
- 3