[Pharmwaste] Silent Knight pill crusher

Thu Jan 5 15:20:09 EST 2012

The question, as I understood it, based on further communication, was related only to use of the device in medical facilities for patients that can't swallow a pill. The crushed pill goes into a teeny baggie. The drug is administered. The question is whether the empty little baggie needs to be managed as a hazardous waste. Some drugs on the P-list might require that and I believe someone from MN offered an opinion and Ms. Hemauer is checking with CO on regulations.

This type of crushing is a standard industry practice. It is unlikely that a household would have the device unless they are using it to administer a drug at home that can't be swallowed by the patient.

I do appreciate your point on crushing. We are very behind with updating our household disposal advice and I will make a point of discouraging crushing without liquids. We have collection sites in nearly every county so we can really push collection at law enforcement vs. home trash disposal which is excellent.

Have a great day every one!

-----Original Message-----
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Grasso, Cheri
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 2:09 PM
To: 'Tenace, Laurie'; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Cc: 'Margaret Hemauer'
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Silent Knight pill crusher 

The Silent Knight pill crusher is designed to allow patients to crush pills before taking them. Time release medications should not be crushed. Attached is a list of medicines from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices that should never be crushed before ingestion.  

Crushing medicines, even the non time-release medicines, prior to disposal is very risky advice. Because trash cans at the curb are not secure, residents have been given advice on how to disguise medicines in an attempt to prevent theft.  Some recommendations include crushing the pills before mixing them with kitty litter or coffee grounds, but this could be harmful, and we hope others stop using this advice. Among other problems, the "crusher" could inhale dust from the crushed pills or get the medicine on their skin or spill the ground-up pills in their home, exposing other family members to the pills.  It is also impractical for large volumes of waste medicines. Exposure risk from crushing certain drugs can lead to a potential higher, more toxic concentration than the therapeutic doses prescribed to the patient.

Cheri

Cheri Grasso 
Pharmaceuticals Project 
Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County
130 Nickerson Street, Suite 100 | Seattle, WA  98109 | 206-263-3089
Local Governments for Health and the Environment www.lhwmp.org 
Protect our Kids, Families, the Environment  www.takebackyourmeds.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Tenace, Laurie [mailto:Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us] 
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:53 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Cc: 'Margaret Hemauer'
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Silent Knight pill crusher and also need help with Colorado drug regs 

Can a list serve member in Colorado please contact Margaret Hemauer at mhemauer at good-sam.com? She has questions about drug regulations in that state.

Margaret also told me about a device I wasn't aware of, the Silent Knight pill crusher: http://www.healthykin.com/p-3765-silent-knight-pill-crusher.aspx?gclid=CLCblPX4tq0CFdKR7QodbBMelQ.

Thanks,
Laurie

Laurie Tenace
Environmental Specialist III
Waste Reduction Section
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Rd., MS 4555
Tallahassee FL 32399-2400
P: 850.245.8759
F: 850.245.8811
Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us
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