An Earth Day recycling question

I have the same dilemma I would imagine everyone else on a DMD faces -----

What to do with all those leftovers?

I'm not talking about the drugs - I use every last precious drop; I'm writing about those reusable ice packs and styrofoam mini coolers that come to my door every month.  My family and friends can't use anymore.  I hate to throw them into the landfill trash here -  20 months into the program I could just about build an igloo out of styrofoam blocks.  

I've shoved leftover foods into them for my children to take home every chance I get.  My freezer is full of those reusable ice packs - they cost $$$$ at the store, but I don't seem to be able give them away fast enough.  I have even taken them to work and put them in the breakroom freezer with a *free to a good home* sign on them.

My question is - what do you do with your leftovers?  I'm open to any and all suggestions.  

As Kermit noted,
It's not easy......

Lulu

[HVAC]

I send the styrafoam to kids craft place called the Scrapexchange in my area. They use recycled materials for kids crafts projects. Schools can get them and they have a cool warehouse where they have a crafts room you can take kids.

Oh and there if freecycle. com. somebody might need ice packs

[Guitar_grrrl]

You might check with your local veterinarians.  I know they have their cold pack suppliers, but like everyone else, saving a little $$ and keeping the stuff out of the land fill is a big draw...
Cheers

[twopack]

Any chance a local Meals On Wheels group could make use of them to keep foods the proper temperature between preparation and delivery?

This makes me glad I have to go pick-up my Copaxone at the pharmacy.  Is it possible for you to opt out of home delivery?

Mary

[Lulu54]

Unfortunately I am stuck with home delivery from the specialty pharmacy.  My mother goes through this same problem because Enberel is delivered the same way.  And people on insulin often have those  cold pack deliveries, too.

Those are some good suggestion.  Thanks.

[essdipity]

Keep 'em coming, folks. I haven't found anywhere around here that can use them. I wish that styrofoam were on the list of regular recyclables, but alas. I've given these containers to my 20-something nieces and nephews--just the right size for a 6-pack ;-)

The ice packs I keep trying to get rid of. I include a couple whenever I take food to a social gathering, or when I travel out of town with food. People seem to like them, but after a while, enough is enough. I just can't throw them out, though.

I too have no choice about how I get the med. I do always recycle the cardboard boxes. Unfortunately, in addition to raising my co-pay, my insurer now will ship only one month's worth at a time, rather than 3, so there's 3 times as much to dispose of.

ess

[twopack]

Maybe the disposal problem needs to be lobbed back to the supplier's side of the court.  It seems it would be cheaper for them to devise a system for recycling packaging back to them rather than to constantly purchase new product.  It just seems like responsible manufacturing policy.  Where are EPA regs when you need them?  It's bad enough we have to pollute the planet with our sharps.

Anyway, Copaxone can stay out of refrigeration for a month at a time now.  They shouldn't need all that keep-it-cold gear anymore on a regular basis.  Maybe they didn't read their own leaflet.  Sorry, I'm getting snippy now.

Mary

[essdipity]

Unfortunately, it's not only a matter of keeping it cold. There's also a problem if it gets too warm, which it could, given variable shipping conditions. It's like Goldilocks--it has to be just right, for the whole shipping journey.

ess

[Lulu54]

Ess is right about the six-packs.  She's also spot on about the temperature control issue- it can't freeze and it can't get too warm.

I would be happy to go to the local pharmacy to pick my monthly supplies up but my insurance requires me to get them from the specialty pharam (that they happen to own!).

At least I only get one styrofoam cube a month, but with summer coming on I can count on 4-6 ice packs in the box for about three months.

How does Rebif, Avonex and Betaseron arrive?  No one other than the copax crew here seems to be having a problem  LOL

~L

[Quixotic1]

We got rid of all of our styrofoam coolers and the freeze pacs through freecycle.com.  Man, they were lining up at our door for them.  We get rid of EVERYTHING that way.
Scarps of carpet, flower pots, boxes, pieces of wood, partial cans of paint (just got rid of about 30 of those).

The most unusual one I ever saw was a woman whose dog had had a litter and all but one died.  Apparently, singlets don't do as well, so the woman asked on freecycle for a newborn puppy.  Within a day she had two more newborns (different species) that her dog had joyfully adopted and was nursing.  Our freecycle is really active.

Quix