Pharmaceutical Wastes: Know Its Types And Management

There’s almost every kind of human-inhabited place on the earth that generates some kind of a pharmaceutical waste.

But even with so much prominence in use, the pharmaceutical waste does not get its due treatment, being tossed in regular trash bins, flushed down the drains or thrown carelessly.

And in such a case, it is important for you to understand the importance of keeping your pharmaceutical waste properly and getting it disposed of only with the help of expert medical waste disposal services.

But before this, let us know the various categories of medical wastes:

Types of Pharmaceutical Wastes:

Pharmaceutical wastes are generally classified as follows:

Hazardous Pharmaceuticals:

These include drugs such as:

· U-listed drugs such as melphalan and lindane etc.

· P-listed drugs which consist of nicotine and warfarin etc.

· Drugs consisting of heavy metal (including preservatives such as thimerosal)

Non-Hazardous Pharmaceuticals:

Most of the pharmaceuticals in the market are non-hazardous in nature and these include products such as:

· OTC medications, including naproxen, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and cold medications etc.

· All kinds of antibiotics

· Contraceptive

· Hormones

· Prescription medicines that are non-RCRA

Pharmaceutical Waste Management At Healthcare Centers:

As evident from above, the pharmaceutical wastes generated could be from any of the categories i.e. hazardous and non-hazardous. And putting them into a single container is never a great idea.

Also Read: 5 Tips For The Healthcare Professionals To Stay Safe In The Premises

Therefore, according to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), it is essential for a healthcare organization to keep the hazardous and non-hazardous pharmaceutical wastes separately for the ease of their treatment and disposal.

Here is the color-wise division of the pharmaceutical waste containers:

· Black Containers: For the hazardous pharmaceutical wastes

· Blue Containers: For the non-hazardous pharmaceutical wastes

· Yellow Containers (shielded):For radioactive wastes, including trace chemo wastes

Also Read: 5 Tips For The Healthcare Professionals To Stay Safe In The Premises

In addition, all these containers need to be labeled properly, with the radioactive waste container containing proper radioactive waste symbol too.

Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal:

Whether a part of a healthcare center or any place generating pharmaceutical waste, tossing the used, unused or expired medications carelessly is a punishable offense.

Also Read: Do You Classify These Products As Hazardous Medical Wastes?

Due to this, the services of a licensed and experienced medical waste disposal agency are essential, no matter how small the amount of generated waste tends to be.

For instance, if you wish to get pharmaceutical medical waste disposal in Charlotte, you can look to find the best medical waste disposal agency that handles all kinds of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.

Also Read: Why Glass (Even Unbroken) Is Considered A Form Of Sharps Waste

So whether the pharmaceutical waste gets generated from your house, medical laboratories, healthcare centers, or any such place, it is essential to keep it securely and get assistance from a proficient medical waste management organization for the eco-friendliest results.