<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
mso-believe-normal-left:yes;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><![if mso 9]><style>p.MsoNormal
{margin-left:3.0pt;}
</style><![endif]><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='margin-left:3.0pt;margin-top:3.0pt;margin-right:3.0pt;margin-bottom:.75pt'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Hi Ed,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Good questions. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Re: aerosols/inhalers, these become problematic with transportation rules, e.g. hazmat or when transporting via air where they can be prohibited. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I think liquids are an issue because they may spill and then react with something else in the container. Risk may be minimized if liquids are sealed in an outer zip-loc bag. I don’t know if there are documented problems, but certainly these are risks we want to avoid. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Better to call “infectious” rather than “bio-hazard” waste—better explains risk. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Hope this helps. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Very truly yours,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMT<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Zimmer Environmental Improvement, LLC<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>St. Paul, MN <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Ph: 651.645.7509<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:zenllc@usfamily.net">zenllc@usfamily.net</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Ed Gottlieb<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, June 05, 2014 2:36 AM<br><b>To:</b> pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us<br><b>Subject:</b> [Pharmwaste] What to restrict from drop-boxes?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Hi pharmwaste listserv,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>All drop-box programs list items that are accepted and items that aren't. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Sharps, bio-hazardous waste, chemotherapy medications, and thermometers are almost always listed as not accepted. Some programs specifically restrict less (or more!) obvious items such as: trash, mail, and guns.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>I think we can all agree there are good reasons for not accepting any of these items. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>What about liquids, ointments, inhalers, and aerosol cans? I regularly see these on "not accepted" lists. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Most boxes have internal, removable totes that should be lined with a plastic bag. Liquid spills should not be a problem from the clean-up perspective. I've not seen any evidence that spilled liquids can cause dangerous chemical reactions to occur, an explanation I was given for one programs ban. Are there documented problems caused by a spill of hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or any other liquid medication? Can explosive conditions develop? Will active ingredients volatilize and contaminate the air if spilled alcohol dissolves medication it comes in contact with? <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Do inhalers and other aerosol cans actually cause problems in a drop-box or at the incinerator? <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>I believe that most programs copy their "not accepted" list from an existing program. Maybe some of these restricted items could be safely accepted? Or, is it wiser to keep restricting them to avoid a possible hazard, however unlikely?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>With luck, pharmacies will soon be launching their own programs, greatly expanding the accessability of take-back programs. Can we offer them guidance on this issue? Your thoughts are appreciated.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Ed<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Ed Gottlieb<br>Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal <br>Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator <br>Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility<br>525 3rd Street<br>Ithaca, NY 14850<br>(607) 273-8381<br>fax: (607) 273-8433<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>