Thanks, I have been looking for a way to recycle the G7. I will start taking apart the ones I have. How do you deal with the actual sensor? I assume it has a battery in it.
It's hard to recycle the sensor because it has blood & body fluids (serous fluids) inside it. I just put it in my needle box. At least I can recycle almost all the applicator. The G6 was more difficult to take apart, but I did find a way to do it.
Good question! Honestly, I don't know. I don't think it needs to be fancy, it just stops the sensor from activating until it's moved away from the magnet.
Been losing sleep over tossing these things out. Thank you so so so much for sharing this process!!! I've been able to get it apart easily thanks to your guidance. Sleeping much better knowing I'm doing what I can. 💯
The needle is there to get the catheter under the skin so the sensor can use your own serous fluid to check you glucose levels. Once the needle gets through your skin with the catheter, the needle retracts and the plastic catheter remains, just like the needles we use to start IVs.
@@jconradh Thank you so much for the explanation. I'm a brand new user, wearing my first sensor, and I don't recall reading that anywhere. It makes perfect sense now.
Much easier to recycle Freestyle Libre sensors/applicators (nothing needed to be taken apart, just place both parts - up to six of them- in the free envelope and send).
@@loribailey8923 I'm waiting for Dexcom to step up. I blind-tested the Libre versus the Dexcom using one on each arm, and had a few occasions where the Libre was more than 70 off the mark of a finger stick monitor, so I went with the Dexcom.
Definitely remove the needle and manage as sharps. The metal springs can be recycled as scrap metal, most programs do not accept scrap metal in the curbside recycling cars so check to before you put it into your recycling cart, otherwise you may need to deliver to a scrap metal recycler. The plastic should not be put into your curbside recycling cart unless you contact your recycling program to confirm is would be accepted.
I use these too and it's such a waste. So much plastic. You would think that in this day and age, someone could design something better. Two of the sensors caused the locations to be infected. This happened in August and even though the lumps have gone down, they are still in my arm.
We can't. The remote stops the sensor from working after the 10.5 days. It's not like the Dexcom 6 where we could separate the transmitter from the sensor, briefly, and trick it into working for another 10 days, and do it until the battery is gone.
Thank you so much for this video I switched to the g7 a few months ago and the applicators have been driving me nuts.
Thank you! I especially appreciated the "fly across the room" warning.
Thank you for the walk-through! Much appreciated.
Am very pro-recycle; and I was already collecting springs, lol.
Thanks, I have been looking for a way to recycle the G7. I will start taking apart the ones I have. How do you deal with the actual sensor? I assume it has a battery in it.
It's hard to recycle the sensor because it has blood & body fluids (serous fluids) inside it. I just put it in my needle box. At least I can recycle almost all the applicator. The G6 was more difficult to take apart, but I did find a way to do it.
The sensor does have a small battery inside. It's a pain to extract. Best to simply put into a sharps container.
Is the magnet a rare earth (probably neodymium) one?
Good question! Honestly, I don't know. I don't think it needs to be fancy, it just stops the sensor from activating until it's moved away from the magnet.
@@jconradh The magnet is so small that it's difficult to tell, but my gut tells me it's just a regular magnet.
Thank you so much. This is awesome.
Thank you for this info.
Been losing sleep over tossing these things out. Thank you so so so much for sharing this process!!! I've been able to get it apart easily thanks to your guidance. Sleeping much better knowing I'm doing what I can. 💯
So much wasted plastic and metal, right?
Thank you so much, it's not easy to find this information.
I'm surprised to see a needle inside the applicator. Do you know what is its purpose?
The needle is there to get the catheter under the skin so the sensor can use your own serous fluid to check you glucose levels. Once the needle gets through your skin with the catheter, the needle retracts and the plastic catheter remains, just like the needles we use to start IVs.
@@jconradh Thank you so much for the explanation. I'm a brand new user, wearing my first sensor, and I don't recall reading that anywhere. It makes perfect sense now.
Much easier to recycle Freestyle Libre sensors/applicators (nothing needed to be taken apart, just place both parts - up to six of them- in the free envelope and send).
@@loribailey8923 I'm waiting for Dexcom to step up. I blind-tested the Libre versus the Dexcom using one on each arm, and had a few occasions where the Libre was more than 70 off the mark of a finger stick monitor, so I went with the Dexcom.
Definitely remove the needle and manage as sharps. The metal springs can be recycled as scrap metal, most programs do not accept scrap metal in the curbside recycling cars so check to before you put it into your recycling cart, otherwise you may need to deliver to a scrap metal recycler. The plastic should not be put into your curbside recycling cart unless you contact your recycling program to confirm is would be accepted.
City of Detroit takes almost all plastics, paper, cardboard and metal. We can put them all into our bins.
I use these too and it's such a waste. So much plastic. You would think that in this day and age, someone could design something better. Two of the sensors caused the locations to be infected. This happened in August and even though the lumps have gone down, they are still in my arm.
real waste to shut it off after 10.5 days .
I’d use it till the battery dies
We can't. The remote stops the sensor from working after the 10.5 days. It's not like the Dexcom 6 where we could separate the transmitter from the sensor, briefly, and trick it into working for another 10 days, and do it until the battery is gone.
My husband removes the insert and uses the canister for screws and nuts 🔩
And it has a built-in screw top!