Taking Control of Pharmaceutical Waste

Taking Control of Pharmaceutical Waste

Taking Control of Pharmaceutical Waste.  Pharmaceutical waste is not the hospital pharmacist’s favorite topic, and the worst part of it may be the regulations. The federal laws that govern waste management can be confusing; updates can be hard to keep track of; and in some instances, there are policies from different agencies that can seem in conflict.

Given those challenges, it may not be surprising that some pharmacists question whether they really need to heed the rules governing drug waste management. “One of the questions I usually get asked is, ‘Why should I comply with the regulations?’” said Lisa M. Lauer, a federal official with the Materials Recovery and Waste Management Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in Washington, D.C. Her answer: It’s the law, and you can be fined if you don’t. She gave an example in which violations and penalties added up to a total proposed penalty of $190,111.