Insulet’s Pod Recycling Program officially launched today, giving Omnipod users across the United States a free way to recycle their used pods instead of throwing them in the trash. Ahead of the launch, Insulet spoke with me in an exclusive interview to explain why the program exists, how it works, and what it has already accomplished globally.

Insulet reached out to me specifically because of a TikTok I posted in 2022 where I poured dozens of used Omnipods into the trash. An Insulet employee told me the video lived rent-free in his head for the past three years!

I spoke with Lisa Brady, Chief Sustainability Officer at Insulet to hear more about the new program. Brady explained, Insulet’s mission has always been about simplifying life for people with diabetes, but that responsibility doesn’t stop once a pod is used. She said, “We know that waste is frustrating for customers, and we’ve heard that from a lot of customers and a lot of different stakeholders.”

Brady emphasized that people care deeply about what happens to their pods after use. “We know that customers care about what happens to their pods when they’re done using them,” Brady said. “And so our pod takeback program is really designed to make it easy…and to keep pods out of landfills.”

From Insulet’s perspective, sustainability isn’t separate from healthcare — it’s part of it. “When we think about it from a sustainability lens, it’s important that we’re considering Podder’s health needs alongside with their environmental well-being to balance both human health and planetary health,” Brady said.

That balance is difficult to strike with medical devices like Omnipod. Pods are complex products made of multiple materials, including electronics and batteries, all housed in a device designed to be durable enough for daily wear. The U.S. market is also particularly challenging when it comes to medical device recycling, which is why the program took time to scale. Insulet initially launched pilot programs in Massachusetts in 2022, and expanded to California in 2024, and now has the infrastructure in place to go nationwide.

The program itself is straightforward. Omnipod users can request a recycling kit through Insulet’s website. Inside the kit is a resealable bag, a cardboard box, and a prepaid return label. The kits can hold up to 60 pods, which is about six months worth. Once the kit is full, users can drop it off at a USPS or FedEx location free of charge. From there, the pods are sent to Insulet’s partners, where they are decontaminated before being recycled.

Brady explained that the recycling process mirrors what’s used for other electronics. “It’s like all electronics, like phones and computers, where the plastics get separated from the metals and separated from the batteries,” she said. “The batteries are going to go to a battery recycler, and the plastics are going to go to recyclers that want to get it to people making other products from that plastic.” Those materials can then be reused in other applications.

In 2024 alone, the company took back 7.4 million Omnipod pods globally across its existing takeback programs. Insulet currently offers these programs in 11 countries, and now that the U.S. expansion is live, the company offers a takeback program to over 90% of its customers worldwide. Brady was careful to note that not every country allows recycling. “Through those takeback programs, it’s a combination—some of the programs are incineration because that’s required by that location, and in some countries it is recycled,” like here in the U.S.

As someone who uses diabetes technology daily, this feels like a meaningful shift. Waste may not be the first thing people consider when choosing a pump, but it’s often part of the background frustration. Having a clear and free option to recycle pods makes a difference — not just environmentally, but in a responsibility sense. You can request your recycling kit here.

To learn more about what goes into building an Omnipod, check out the video below where I visited Insulet headquarters to learn about the pump’s history and tour the manufacturing site.

Disclaimer: Diabetech content is not medical advice—it’s for educational purposes only. Always consult with a physician before making changes to your healthcare.