[Pharmwaste] Guidelines for safe disposal of unwanted pharms. in & after emergencies

[Stevan Gressitt]

AS a followup, I believe that 2 incinerators were then purchased by one of
the organizations and shipped there just for the destruction. I haven't been
able to track down ( remember) who told me that. Stevan Gressitt

-----Original Message-----
From: pharmwaste-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Tenace, Laurie
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 10:29 AM
To: pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Guidelines for safe disposal of unwanted pharms. in &
after emergencies

These guidelines were published in 1999. Interesting comments and
suggestions, but you'll note there is no mention of preventing drug
diversion. Is anyone using immobilization or encapsulation (such as packing
in cement) to dispose of pharmaceuticals? 

Guidelines for safe disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals in and after
emergencies
http://www.who.int/medicines/library/par/who-edm-par-1999-2/who-edm-par-99-2
.
shtml


During conflicts and natural disasters large quantities of pharmaceuticals
are often donated as part of humanitarian assistance. Undoubtedly many of
the
pharmaceuticals save lives and alleviate suffering, but some donations given
by well-meaning but uninformed people may cause problems. Pharmaceuticals
may
arrive past or near their expiry date, may be inappropriate for the needs,
be
unrecognizable because they are labelled in a foreign language or may have
been sent in unwanted quantities. Donated pharmaceuticals with a long
shelf-life may be mismanaged, particularly in the confusion during and after
armed conflict or a natural disaster. Staff and storage space may be lacking
and the pharmaceutical management system in disarray. Such problems also
occur when drug donations form part of development assistance. Smaller
quantities of pharmaceutical waste may accumulate in the absence of
emergency
situations, due to inadequacies in stock management and distribution, and to
lack of a routine system of disposal. Safe disposal of these unwanted or
expired drugs
often creates a major problem.

These disposal guidelines are based on a report on the safe disposal of
unwanted and unusable drugs in Mostar, which had accumulated during the war
in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Quantifying pharmaceutical waste may be
difficult.
One report states that 50-60% of the 27,800-34,800 metric tons of medical
supplies donated to Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and mid-1996 were
considered to be inappropriate, and by mid-1996 there were an estimated
17,000 metric tons of unusable drugs stockpiled in warehouses and clinics
throughout the country1. These dramatic figures are contested: something in
the region of 1,000 metric tons is considered by some to be more reasonable.
A recent figure of 2,000 metric tons of pharmaceutical waste in Croatia is
regarded as accurate. Unusable donated drugs hindered the efficient
operation
of pharmacies in many of the states of the former Yugoslavia and represented
a significant disposal problem.

Laurie J. Tenace
Environmental Specialist
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 4555
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400
PH: (850) 245-8759
FAX: (850) 245-8811
Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us
 
view our mercury web pages at: 
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/mercury/default.htm
 
 

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