[Pharmwaste] Long term care drug disposal

Bunnell, Ross Ross.Bunnell at po.state.ct.us
Fri Sep 14 16:05:18 EDT 2007


Michele:
 
If you haven't done so already, check with the Florida DEP and the local
sewer authority to see what their rules are concerning sewage
discharges.
 
Here in CT, any discharge of a substance other than septage to the sewer
requires approval from the local sewer authority AND a permit from the
CT DEP.  For many years, our state permitting staff were unaware of this
practice, until recently, when a release from a long-term care facility
caused the local wastewater treatment plant to fail.  What happened was
that an adult diaper shredder at the faculty became clogged, and a large
amount of effluent from the facility backed up in it; when the clog was
cleared, the pharmaceutical-laden sewage hit the treatment plant all at
once and killed the beneficial bacteria that aid in the digestion of the
sewage.
 
Following this incident our water permitting folks have become very
interested in the issue of disposal of drugs down the drain, and are
working with other staff at the CT DEP to stop the practice statewide.
 
Another point to consider:  if any of the long-term care facilities are
NOT on local sewer, but are instead discharge their sewage to an
engineered septic system, there may be rules in Florida regarding the
types of wastes that can be discharged to such systems.  Here in
Connecticut, such systems may only receive septic and associated
wastewaters, and not chemical wastes of any kind (e.g. pharmaceuticals).
 
- - Ross Bunnell, CT DEP 
Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance 
Waste Engineering & Enforcement Division 
79 Elm Street 
Hartford, CT 06106-5127 
Tel. (860) 424-3274  Fax (860) 424-4059 

Disclaimer:  Any views expressed in this email represent only the
sender's personal opinion based on his knowledge and experience with the
DEP, and in no way should be considered a formal ruling by the
Department.  It is always the obligation of a generator or other handler
of waste to be familiar with and to comply with all applicable state and
federal requirements.


________________________________

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Michele
Berger
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 3:33 PM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Long term care drug disposal


When I started at my long term care pharmacy, all discontinued drugs
were being flushed.  I immediately got in touch with a reverse
distributor to have them disposed of properly.  For many months I have
been encouraging the owner of our pharmacy to become more pro-active in
discontinued drug disposal in our homes, including narcotics.  Yesterday
a surveyor was at one of our homes and insisted that our policies be
changed to state "All discontinued narcotics are to be flushed down the
toilet".  After I have the owner so close to making the disposal a
consultant pharmacist responsibility, I have been foiled again.  I
understand it isn't easy to change a set idea but when options are there
and you aren't allowed to use them it becomes extremely frustrating!  
 
Can anyone tell me where to find, in Florida law, that flushing meds
down a toilet is more regulated than a DEA transfer?  Not to mention
better for the environment!  
 
Michele Berger
 

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