Types of Pharmaceutical Waste
What is the term for unused or expired medications that must be disposed of safely?
What is pharmaceutical waste?
The improper disposal of pharmaceutical waste can result in contamination of this essential natural resource, leading to long-term environmental harm.
What is water?
This U.S. federal agency regulates the disposal of hazardous pharmaceutical waste to ensure proper environmental protection.
What is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?
Sometimes referred to as RCRA Empty or Residual Chemo waste after being expelled from their original container. Must be less than 3% of weight of the total container capacity.
What is a yellow bin?
Many hospitals face this issue, where personnel are unaware of the proper disposal methods for certain medications.
What is a lack of training?
When disposing of IV tubing, empty vials, IV bags, and bottles, it is important to place in what color bin?
What is the Blue/Turquoise bin?
Recycled products and equipment meant for reprocessing is placed in a LARGE BIN. Name the color and name of the BIN.
What is Blue and Medline?
This type of pharmaceutical residue is known to affect the hormonal systems of aquatic organisms.
What are endocrine disruptors?
This federal regulation outlines how hospitals must handle and dispose of hazardous waste, including pharmaceuticals.
What is the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)?
These items can be placed together in a colored bin. Syringes, needles, IV tubing, IV extensions, and empty IV fluid bags. This is called comingling.
What are examples of turquoise blue bin contents?
Hospitals may struggle with this when trying to implement effective pharmaceutical waste disposal programs, particularly in remote or rural locations.
What is limited access to proper disposal facilities?
Hospitals have to weigh the products that are placed into these color bags?
What are Red Biohazard bags?
Controlled substances are classified as pharmaceutical waste due to their abuse potential and legal regulations.
What are narcotics or opioids?
The presence of pharmaceutical chemicals in the environment contributes to this growing public health issue, making bacterial infections harder to treat.
What is antibiotic resistance?
This act allows patients to return unused medications to designated collection sites, preventing them from being disposed of improperly.
What is the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act?
Controlled substances like opioids should be placed in this bin, which is securely locked to prevent unauthorized access.
What is a white bin?
One of the major challenges in pharmaceutical waste management in hospitals is the complexity of these drugs, which require different disposal methods.
What are controlled substances?
Many hospitals have designated teams responsible for tracking the disposal of items. The department that is responsible at PCH?
What is the EVS department?
Bulk chemotherapy, pills & tablets, non-prescription drugs, lotions, creams, and ointments must be capped, and any waste with the potential to leak. This is examples of.....
What is Hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste?
When pharmaceuticals need to be separated for transport so they meet the US DOT safety requirements? Hint: Incompatible Waste
What are Aerosols, Inhalers, Corrosives, & Oxidizers?
Hospitals must track and record the disposal of these drugs to prevent diversion and misuse, which requires specialized waste disposal methods. They are placed into a white smaller bin.
What are controlled substances?
The disposal of potentially infectious pharmaceutical waste, such as medications that could cause infection, often requires this bin.
What is a blue bin?
Hospitals may face this issue when dealing with leftover pharmaceuticals from expired or unused medication.
What is inadequate disposal infrastructure?
The safe disposal of expired or unused medications in hospitals requires where to dispose of properly. Plain IV fluids with no additives are placed where. Examples include: KCl, K phos, Na phos, Ca+, Na Bicarb, Dextrose, and Saline.
What is a waste stream management system or down the drain?
Diapers, empty foleys, and product packaging are considered non-pharmaceuticals & empty/trace items. They belong categorized and placed in....
What is Regular Trash?
Unused Silver Nitrate is considered incompatible waste and considered an oxidizer. This should be discarded where?
What is the black bin with SP codes?
The Basel Convention is an international treaty that aims to reduce the movement of this type of waste across borders.
What is hazardous pharmaceutical waste?
This colored bin is used for pharmaceuticals that may be a risk to the environment and should be incinerated or disposed of according to local guidelines. This can include chemotherapy or cytotoxic drugs.
What is a black bin?
This common issue among hospital staff can lead to improper disposal of pharmaceutical waste and increased environmental contamination.
What is confusion about which bin to use for different types of waste?
What are blood products?