Stericycle Cares: Serving the Diabetes Community and Enabling Sharps Safety

In support of the more than 30 million Americans living with diabetes, Stericycle is proud to sponsor the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Greater Los Angeles Tour de Cure, taking place on October 6, 2019. Through this community-engagement event, the ADA and Stericycle aim to build awareness around diabetes and its challenges, and generate support for disease research, advocacy and education.

The Tour de Cure is designed to be an educational ride, run or walk event that promotes healthy living and empowers individuals who are affected by diabetes and its complications. During the event, Stericycle staff will be on hand to answer questions about our sharps disposal containers, which diabetic patients can use to safely and securely dispose of needles, lancets and other sharp instruments used in diabetes care.

Leading the Charge on Sharps Safety

Stericycle is proud to support this important event that helps fund research, programs and education on diabetes and its challenges. Along with sponsorship of events like the Tour de Cure, we are continuously working to find the best ways to protect patients, healthcare workers and their communities, helping them prevent injury and effectively dispose of regulated medical waste. For instance, to understand more about the pain points and challenges faced by the almost 10% of the U.S. population with diabetes, Stericycle executed a national survey to help uncover and address these obstacles.

The survey, which included 1,200 respondents, found that for 25% of Americans living with diabetes, one of the largest concerns around diabetic care is how to properly dispose of needles. Further, 61% surveyed said they were concerned that their disposed needles may cause harm to someone in their family or workplace. However, even with these concerns top-of-mind, one in ten diabetics dispose of needles in a public trash can when they are not at home, and one in six typically dispose of needles in their home trash cans. This use of communal trash cans can pose a serious threat to the community, and points to a marked lack of accessible, safe and secure disposal solutions.

Stericycle’s partnership with the ADA not only helps to bring awareness and education to the challenges of those with diabetes, but also will provide diabetics with more access to safe disposal solutions. For more than 30 years, we have provided a range of practical medical waste management solutions to help keep our communities safe, including those that ensure safe sharps disposal. Our specially designed sharps containers are puncture-resistant, leakproof and include a vertical drop lid to preserve patient and healthcare worker safety, reducing risk of needlestick injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposure.

Getting Involved is a Key Part of Our Mission

Supporting the diabetic community and facilitating safe sharps disposal are just some of the ways that Stericycle demonstrates our commitment to safety across the healthcare landscape. By partnering with organizations and communities across the country, we are advancing national initiatives aimed at safeguarding patients, healthcare workers and the environment. We serve as a leader in offering education, training and practical tools that enable safer waste disposal and healthful workplace environments. We protect what matters.