[Pharmwaste] EPA Streamlines Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Regulations for Healthcare Sector

[Deborah DeBiasi]

*EPA Streamlines Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Regulations for Healthcare
Sector*

This week, EPA issue a final rule
<https://www.epa.gov/hwgenerators/final-rule-management-standards-hazardous-waste-pharmaceuticals-and-amendment-p075>
streamlining
standards for managing hazardous waste pharmaceuticals in the healthcare
sector.  The final rule offers streamlined standards for handling
pharmaceutical wastes to better fit the operations of the healthcare sector
while maintaining protection of human health and the environment. In
addition, as part of this rule, EPA is bolstering the protection of our
nation’s waterways by prohibiting the “sewering” of hazardous waste
pharmaceuticals. This will make our drinking and surface water safer and
healthier by reducing the amount of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals
entering our waterways by an estimated 1,600 – 2,300 tons annually. EPA has
a long-standing policy of strongly discouraging the flushing of
pharmaceuticals down the drain in any situation.

The rule provides flexibilities and benefits for hospitals, pharmacies, and
doctor’s offices to safely manage hazardous waste pharmaceuticals. Also,
under this final rule FDA-approved over-the-counter nicotine replacement
therapies (i.e., gums, patches, lozenges) will no longer be considered
hazardous waste when discarded, which will result in significant cost
savings and burden reduction for the healthcare industry. In addition, the
final rule eliminates dual regulation for hazardous waste pharmaceuticals
that are also Drug Enforcement Agency controlled substances, further easing
regulatory burden.
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