You all have been asking for this, for years….
It’s good to have this on it’s own thread so it’s easier to find than the mention by TomH back in December OmniPod Lessons Learned - #28 by TomH
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I went ahead and requested a kit. Try to pass on the “environment friendly” message to Liam. 
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I’ve been doing this for awhile now; well, for as long as I’ve been using Omnipod! It is easy and straightforward. They must have done a pilot program in Massachusetts.
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I learned about it from @TomH 's post. Here’s what I got (haven’t go round to filling it yet 
Instructions, red safety baggies, box with already attached shipping label (so skip step 5 on the instructions; it must have confused some people).
Please take note of step 2 - “only used Pods”: DO NOT INCLUDE THE DOG.
Box, assembled (stick hand in and push out) with red baggie inserted (seems like this might be easier) and dog for size comparison:
ADDENDUM: here it is with 60 pods (I counted them), I believe I could get at least 80 in there:
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I am glad to be able to recycle the pods again. I requested a kit and received two—sweet!
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This is good. Now let’s get recycling for CGM and infusion applicators.
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Yep! That’s what I received, not 1, but 2 kits! Already have about 10 used pods (no dog)!! Hoping they actually get recycled! My small part of trying to be green!
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I just boxed up and sent my first set of Dash pumps back to Insulet for recycling. Each box (I received two with my order) holds 60 pumps, supposedly the limit, but there’s actually room for several more (I can backup @jbowler’s statement at least 80 would fit). That’s about twice a year and I got two boxes and two red bags marked with the “biohazard” symbol, presumably due to the cannula portion being stuck inside me and potential exposure to blood. Each box has a prepaid FedEx Ground label, so there’s no direct cost to me (presumably the cost is incorporated into the cost of the product…like I think all recycling should be). I trust Insulet is actually recycling the things as they say. Anyone with actual knowledge of the Insulet program?
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I’m still trying to catch up with my stock of used 'pods; I ask for a new box and get no response.
I agree completely that they should handle disposal. I used to put used 'pods into my sharps container but that cost money, $20/container, was inconvenient (driving 23 miles to drop the container off) and I don’t know what happens when they incinerate the batteries. They’re alkaline IRC, but still.
The problem is that there is no obvious way to get rid of used 'pods. Whatever Insulet may say they do contain a medical sharp and they have been in close contact with my bodily fluid for 3 days. They’re clearly medical waste. The same for Dexcom inserters and I’ve seen nothing that says that Oregon allows either to be thrown into the trash.
I don’t see how either 'pods or Dexcom inserters can be recycled; there’s just too much stuff in there. The 'pod has a PCB, batteries, a sharp and lots of different types of plastic. It’s also completely impossible to disassemble, well… Not completely; I can do it but it takes about 10 minutes with a Dremel tool and a plastic saw disk (blade). The G7 is easier to disassemble but more dangerous; the various springs can make everything fly out and the inserter is pretty difficult to extract (the one in the 'pod is easier once the 'pod is open).
I hope they are just incinerating them, the 'pods, in a safe way. Dexcom doesn’t even offer a disposal program and this is what Dexcom says:
Dexcom recommends that users dispose of used Dexcom G7 applicators following local guidelines for blood-containing components.
Duh. Local guidelines? Like specific different and often absent guidelines for every single city and county in the United States. Dexcom are in San Diego, CA, so lets see what the local guidelines are in San Diego. I’m quoting from the Artificial Idiot here but the references seem reasonable (San Diego County and the Amigo link below):
In San Diego, California, Dexcom applicators are classified as home-generated sharps waste and cannot be thrown in the regular household trash or curbside recycling.
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/dpw/recycling/hhw/chd_hhw_sharps.html
So San Diego does the work that Dexcom should be paying for for free. That explains the 1.25% sales tax. I pay around $20/container (to a private company) that’s not an issue for me but it is for a lot of people round here. However there is a problem with my sharps container:
You would have thought someone might have worked this out. Google was relying on this web page:
But for Omnipod it gives up:
OmniPod – a used OmniPod is considered mixed-waste (sharps, plastic and batteries are all inside a pod). Insulet offers recycling of used pods for podders in Canada and the United Kingdom. The recycle program in the USA was retired in 2018. For podders in the USA, it is recommend to contact your local trash/waste company to inquire about proper disposal for mixed waste.
The Insulet program was, and on some of Insulet’s pages still is, just for California. Note that “recycling” is being used generically here; it means “safe disposal”.
Ok, I’ll try again to get a box from Insulet and I will continue disassembling the Dexcom inserters and just dropping the actual sharp into my SOS sharps container.
Maybe I can patent an ingenious invention to reduce the size of the Dexcom applicator so that it fits into a sharps container… A device to dimensionally reduce medical waste for safe disposal based on commonly available household items [DRMS™], a 20lb sledge and a tree stump, [20TS™].
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The lack of clear guidelines for these applicators is infuriating. It’s wild that they leave it up to us to figure out local laws for mixed medical waste instead of providing a simple mail-back option
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@chabaj Check out https://www.omnipod.com/pod-recycling. Unfortunately, you’re right, local laws on how to deal with medical waste vary considerably and are often confusing and complicated. Even with Insulet’s recyccle program, there are still part that are wasterful. We can provide comments and preferences, but have little choice under most current laws.
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