[Pharmwaste] RE: any good data on diversion?

[Jan Harris]

Debby, I don’t have any receptacle diversion statistics either in pharmacies for receptacles, but Sharps has placed over 300 receptacles in pharmacies and LTC collecting controls and non-controls all over the country in the last year with no issues. Of course there are some states where current regulations do not allow them at this time, but we have not run into pharmacies concerned about diversion from the pharmacy staff as a reason not to place them. I would imagine that it would be very unlikely that if a pharmacy employee wants to divert, they could talk the second employee who holds the other key to open the receptacle and then rummage through the inner liner to try and find the few controls that may be in there. I would propose that diverting from the pharmacy inventory would be easier.

Also, the way the receptacle is placed in the pharmacy, secured, and in the line of sight of the pharmacy, it would be close to impossible for someone to get into the receptacle…especially without being seen. The locks are security disc locks and the receptacles are UL tested for safety. Again, I think if someone was going to break in the pharmacy and look for narcotics, they would go behind the pharmacy counter where they know they could find what they are looking for.


Jan Harris
Director EHS
Sharps Compliance
jharris at sharpsinc.com<mailto:jharris at sharpsinc.com>
713-927-9956


Jan Harris | Director, Environmental Health & Safety

Sharps Compliance, Inc.
d- 713-927-9956 | o- 800-772-5657 | f- 713-660-3596

jharris at sharpsinc.com | <mailto:jharris at sharpsinc.com> http://www.sharpsinc.com
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Gilliam, Allen
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 9:54 AM
To: Deborah.Hauser at epa.ohio.gov; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] RE: any good data on diversion?

Debbie,

To the best of my knowledge Arkansas’ take-back programs & our 100+ 24/7 permanent drop boxes’ collections are all treated as controlled and haz waste.  Collections are not sifted thru by trained pharmacists because of the time it would take.

With the “free” services of the AR nat’l guard along with a law enforcement officer, the collections are taken by truck to a haz waste treatment facility in the southern part of the State and incinerated.

Don’t see your argument, “…against participating in the collection of unwanted pharms at pharmacies is the possibility of diversion.” would be any different than a LE officer sifting thru his own drop box and cherry picking opioids even if he would readily recognize them.

And, to the best of my knowledge there are no participating pharmacies because of reasons previously mentioned posits (an added burden on an already overworked pharmacy staff along with the additional admin burden they have no time to deal with).

Apologies for no help,

Allen Gilliam
ADEQ State Pretreatment Coordinator
501.682.0625

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us<mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us> [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Deborah.Hauser at epa.ohio.gov<mailto:Deborah.Hauser at epa.ohio.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 8:39 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us<mailto:pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us>
Subject: [Pharmwaste] any good data on diversion?

Good morning,

One of the biggest arguments I’ve heard against participating in the collection of unwanted pharms at pharmacies is the possibility of diversion.  It seems like a valid argument, so I’d like to see if there is any anecdotal evidence to that effect.

I’ve contacted Iowa to find out what they have experienced since they’ve had the TakeAway program in place for a number of years.  They still do not collect controlled substances, so I understand any diversion (or lack thereof) they experience could be attributed to that.

I’d like to hear from other states, especially ones that are collecting at pharmacies, to see if there is any data on diversion.

Thank you,
Debbie


[http://epaintra.epa.ohio.gov/portals/11/Documents/Templates/standard_logo_color_email.gif]

Deborah Hauser
Environmental Specialist
Division of Materials and Waste Management
614.728.5353



As a leader in healthcare waste management, Sharps Compliance strives to reduce, recycle and repurpose treated materials for a better and sustainable environment.

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