[Pharmwaste] RE: safe disposal of home-generated chemo waste

Tue Oct 1 17:38:29 EDT 2013

I suppose I could relax a bit. My mother-in-law knew nothing about the dangers and she was taking chemo at home with three grandchildren. I've gotten a couple of other calls from people who claimed they weren't told anything about it. Who knows if the rest of the details had them so kerfuffled that they couldn't focus on disposal, of all things. I also received a call from a nurse at a cancer clinic that was demanding to know why I didn't think people could put chemo waste (iv bags with sharps) in the pharm collection bins. She was first talking about sharps, then I asked what they were connected to...she said she'd try to help and to convince the clinic management to take them back...or provide something else for guidance.

I'm glad you know there are people who are helpful. I would hope the majority would be. The other disappointment is that I've tried to get a recommendation from the board of pharmacy for a unified message on what to do with unused chemo and the associated clean up materials because we don't want them in the collection bins. I want the pharmacies, hospitals and clinics to manage or direct this. We'll collect the rest of the pharms through public bins. But to date, no unified message is available for MN residents.

If anyone has a success story along the lines of healthcare helping provide a solution, I'd be excited to hear about it. Oh, maybe that was Laurie's question :)
________________________________
From: Jan Harris [jharris at sharpsinc.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2013 4:17 PM
To: Volkman, Jennifer (MPCA)
Cc: Tenace, Laurie; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: Re: [Pharmwaste] RE: safe disposal of home-generated chemo waste

We have home infusion customers who provide safety measures and training for any chemo being infused in the home, including proper disposal (not trashed) for trace/residual as well as bulk amounts of unused medication. The disposal is provided as a part of their service, and not charged additionally. So some are doing a good job, but agree that not all are.

On Oct 1, 2013, at 4:00 PM, "Volkman, Jennifer (MPCA)" <jennifer.volkman at state.mn.us<mailto:jennifer.volkman at state.mn.us>> wrote:

OMG THIS IRRITATES ME!  There are some pill forms of chemo that are not extremely toxic, but I've run across a list of the really toxic stuff. Either way, I shouldn't have to find that for you or you for me!!!

People are being sent home with extremely toxic medicine to administer with little or NO guidance from the medical profession on how to deal with it. With some medications, you are not able to touch family members because it comes out of your pores. You can't share or clean a bathroom without exposure. Towels and bedding cannot be washed and reused. You can't put this waste in the trash without some potential exposure to garbage handlers! It should go back to the hospital. OR people should be in the hospital where they belong for a time period after it is administered?!

There is a kit on line that people can purchase for several hundred dollars and if I were forced by the insurance agencies to do home chemo of one of the really toxic varieties, I'd buy it and use it. I think they did an excellent job. But is this the only answer?  Shouldn't you be issued some of the stuff in this kit if you are sent home with chemo?

First off, the medical community needs to step up. The doctor that sent them home with the stuff needs to give out very detailed instructions and provide an answer to that question. We should not have to answer this question from a voluntary list serve. That is crazy.

I don't know what to say because it should not go in the trash and it is unlikely the hospital or clinic would take it back.
________________________________
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us<mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us> [pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us<mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us>] on behalf of Tenace, Laurie [Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us<mailto:Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us>]
Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2013 10:09 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us<mailto:pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us>
Subject: [Pharmwaste] safe disposal of home-generated chemo waste

Does anyone have any recommended practices for homeowners to safely dispose of chemotherapy contaminated materials like bedpans, wipes, gloves? In other words, what they generate when doing chemo at home other than possible drug waste.

Thanks,
Laurie

Laurie Tenace
Environmental Specialist
Waste Reduction Section
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 4555
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400
850.245.8759
Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us<mailto:Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us>

Please take a few minutes to share your comments on the service you received from the department by clicking on this link DEP Customer Survey<http://survey.dep.state.fl.us/?refemail=Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us>.
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Jan Harris | Director, Environmental Health & Safety

Sharps Compliance, Inc.
d-713-927-9956

jharris at sharpsinc.com<mailto:jharris at sharpsinc.com> | http://www.sharpsinc.com

[COLLECT/PROTECT/RESPECT]
Sharps Compliance repurposed an estimated 758 million syringes into a material powering over 250 homes per year and collected 320,000 pounds of unused medications, reducing potential harm to citizens and the earth.

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