With the wave of Omicron cases, the use of self-tests has surged. The French use millions of them every week. Especially since they can now be found not only in pharmacies but also in supermarkets, until February 15.
If their use begins to be familiar, many French people wonder about the procedure to follow once the test has been carried out and it must be thrown away.
Whatever its result, negative or positive, it must be thrown in the common trash and not in the one intended for recyclable waste.
No need to bring them to the pharmacy
It is also necessary to ensure that all the elements (swab, vial and plate) are thrown away in a closed bag. In its “little guide to the use of the nasal self-test”, the Ministry of Health even goes so far as to recommend the use of a second bag: “Discard the articles of the kit in a plastic bag to avoid any contamination. Close the bag and place it in a second plastic bag. Throw everything in your usual trash can. Wash your hands after handling,” he recommends.
Some kits contain bags specially designed to collect waste.
You don’t need to bring them to the pharmacy. Indeed, the self-test kits are not part of the “Waste from healthcare activities with infectious and similar risks” (DASRI).