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Frequently Asked Questions
What is pharmaceutical waste?
Pharmaceutical waste is medication that has been spilled, has been rejected
for use by the patient, or otherwise cannot be returned to the pharmacy for
reuse. It can be in the form of a pill, an oral liquid, an intravenous
liquid or another form that is intended for a patient to consume.
Who regulates my pharmaceutical waste?
The Washington State Department of Health’s Board of Pharmacy, the United
States Drug Enforcement Administration, and the state Department of Ecology
(Ecology is involved only when the pharmaceutical is disposed of as waste).
Why is pharmaceutical waste managed as hazardous waste?
Hazardous waste is managed separately from regular garbage because of the
risk it poses to human health and the environment. These risks can include
flammability, corrosivity, toxicity to humans and animals, and persistence
in the environment.
Why did Ecology decide to conditionally exclude pharmaceutical waste?
In Washington state, we have stringent laws in order to protect the
environment. Part of our law for regulating hazardous waste requires the
person disposing of a waste to go through a process of looking at the risk
posed by the ingredients of the waste. In an industrial setting this is
possible. But pharmacies, hospitals and other facilities are disposing of
pharmaceuticals they did not make and the complete ingredient list is rarely
available. As a result, we found that these parts of the regulations were
causing an impediment to proper disposal. Our goal is to get pharmaceuticals
disposed of effectively, in a way that protects the environment.
To whom does the exclusion apply?
- Police organizations: This exclusion applies to the waste from police
evidence rooms.
- Hospitals, pharmacies and people who are authorized by the state Board of
Pharmacy to possess controlled substances and legend/prescription drugs (called licensees).
- This exclusion does not apply to manufacturers of pharmaceuticals.
What does the exclusion allow?
It allows waste pharmaceuticals that are dangerous waste only because of
Washington state’s criteria for toxicity and persistence to be excluded from
the rest of the Dangerous Waste Regulations if they are destroyed in an
incinerator that meets certain performance standards.
