OmniPod Disposal Program

The makers of the OmniPod just removed one of my only complaints about their product by announcing a pod recycling program.  I am a proud recycler, the guy that reaches into the trash to pull out a improperly discarded soda can...   

One of the great aspects of using the OmniPod is that it’s disposable, every three days the pod comes off of Arden and a new one goes on.  The problem that creates is that the pod has a needle, insulin, circuit boards, plastic and batteries in it when you drop it in the trash.  There is no correct place to dispose of something with all of those various components (trust me that there isn’t because I spent a day on the phone calling every municipal entity I could think of and they all agreed that it had to be dropped into the garbage because it didn’t fit into any recycling category).  Until now...

From OmniPod

You take care of your health with OmniPod. Take care of the planet with OmniPod’s Eco-Pod Program. The first industry program for the environmentally safe disposal of insulin pump components, it is a natural extension of OmniPod’s mission: to make diabetes a smaller part of life. Our goal is to enable our customers to dispose of those Pods in an environmentally sound way, reducing landfill and taking hazardous waste right out of the waste stream. Working together we can succeed.

OmniPod’s Eco-Pod Program is quick, easy and effective. Just return your used Pods (we supply the shipping materials, you supply the postage) and we take care of processing.

Find out about the program - It's NOW FREE! (2015)

I’d like to thank the people at OmniPod for putting this program in place as I imagine that it is at some expense to them... But I also want to thank anyone who participates in the program because I know that while Omni is running the program at no cost to the user there is still a $8 shipping charge that the user will have to absorb quarterly.  Additionally, the program will require you to store the discarded pods for three months, make a trip to the post office and of course pay the freight.  The last thing anyone dealing with type I needs is another thing to be responsible for but this thing seems to be worth the effort IMO.  Arden just signed up and we hope you will too!

**

The following are archived comments from this post. You can post new comments below.

pumper

I'm impressed!  I already liked OmniPod, but am using a Medtronic pump.  Great addition - thanks for shaing.

Friday, October 2, 2009 - 12:16 PM

Scott

I wanted to update this post: Insulet is covering the shipping cost 100%! They are a fantastic company!

Monday, February 15, 2010 - 10:07 AM

Great Customer Service

Insulet, the company that makes Arden’s insulin pump is sending a nurse to Arden’s new school later this summer to train the school nurses and Arden’s teachers on the OmniPod... free of charge!  

We already couldn’t be more happy with our choice of insulin pumps and it seems like every time we turn around the up side of the OmniPod just gets better.  I’ll begin blogging very soon about what we are doing to prepare Arden for kindergarten.  Keep and eye out for that in Daddy’s Blog in the coming days.

**

The following are archived comments from this post. You can post new comments below.

Emily

Hey, yeah, Arden IS starting kindergarten soon--she's growing up really fast.  Is she more excited about starting school, or nervous?

Monday, August 24, 2009 - 11:07 PM

OmniPod v Pool

Arden swam everyday this weekend, she spent hours and hours in the pool -- all while wearing her OmniPod.  Because of that she never had to be disconnected from her insulin supply which made it much easier for us to regulate her BG.  The OmniPod really is an amazing device!!!

 

OmniLifeSaver

The OmniPod has flatly made Arden’s life better.  Honestly, it’s made all of our lives better.  Easy to use, reliable, accurate and best of all - no more injections!  I can’t say enough good things or suggest more strongly that you look into the product if you or someone you love is currently injecting their insulin.

PDM Error

The good news is that the Insulet CSR was helpful and the issue was resolved as quickly as possible.  The not so good news can be read about over at ‘Daddy’s Blog’.  The following is what happened when the handheld device that controls Arden’s OmniPod suddenly stopped working.

We aren’t normally the kind of family that splits up to do things.  If we go to a movie we all go, when one of the kids has a sporting event or a performance we again, all attend.  We do things together almost always.  But on this day the boys went one way (to a batting cage) and the girls went another (to the Hannah Montana movie).  Now when I say that I went one way and Kelly went the other, I mean it.  The theater is 15 minutes away from our home in one direction and the batting cage was 30 minute away in the completely opposite direction.  Couple that with the fact the Arden wasn’t with me and what we have is a situation that Murphy’s Law just couldn’t pass up.

It seems that Arden’s PDM (personal diabetes manager) experienced an error that left it inoperable, in need of a reset and incapable of reconnecting to the pump that it was currently attached to Arden.  Kelly had just settled in to her movie seat, she tested Arden’s BG and delivered a bolus to correct a slight elevation.  She estimated what movie snacks Arden would eat, called me and we agreed on an amount of insulin to give Arden for the food we thought that she would eat during the movie. Kelly set the PDM to the desired insulin amount and when she pressed the button to deliver the insulin, bang, the PDM just died.  What transpired next is chronicled in a separate blog (link at the end of this blog).  

Fast-forward to after the movie. We contacted Insulet, they walked us through reseting the PDM, which we did at the theater because we needed to test Arden’s BG as soon as possible and then we rushed home to change the pump.

The error was annoying, disruptive and concerning but in the end it never made me reconsider our decision to go with the OmniPod because it really is that freeing for Arden.  When you’re dealing with technology sometimes things don’t work quite as expected.

To read about how a diabetes issue like this effects us personally click here.