Reasons for Change

By assessing and implementing one or more of the practices described here and on the accompanying downloadable table, health care facilities can enjoy:

• Reduced regulatory obligations and oversight.

• Using less toxic medicines and dispensing pharmaceuticals prior to expiration and only in the amount needed, may reduce the amount and burden of dangerous waste managed at your health care facility.

• Increased safety and reduced risks for patients, staff, visitors and the community. Mismanaged waste pharmaceuticals may cause or contribute to increased illness or death. Properly manage waste pharmaceuticals in the organization.

• Preventing pollution and improving cost savings by:

  - Reducing medicine container size, quantity ordered, and spills

  - Improving waste management for pharmacy medications and chemicals

Opportunities for Action

Specific tips on ways Pharmacy Services providers can reduce and prevent toxic wastes and resource inefficiencies are listed in this fact sheet’s downloadable/printable table. A sampling of these tips is listed below. 

Basic Best Management Practices

• Request less packaging ; use reusable totes/shipping containers.

• Recycle prescription bottles, paper and cardboard packing materials.

• Establish a "no sample" policy position.

• Prescribe/dispense no more than is needed. 

• Don’t purchase and prepare drugs in excess when pre-formulated, pre-mixed preparations and single-dose vials are available.

• Use mercury-free medications.

• Use medicines, pharmaceuticals, bandages, and medical devices that are silver-free whenever possible.

• Dispose of silver concentrations of 5 parts per million (ppm) or more as dangerous waste.

Next Steps to Improve Pharmacy Service Practices

• Develop a pharmaceutical waste prevention plan; educate staff during new employee orientation classes and at outreach events.

• Provide information to patients on how and where to dispose of their residential medications.

• Inventory pharmaceutical and chemical stores; use oldest supplies first; properly dispose of unused, outdated, or spoiled chemicals or medications.

• Return unused and unopened pharmaceuticals only when reverse distributors offer a credit. 

• Properly identify, manage and dispose of dangerous waste pharmaceuticals.  Do not dispose to sharps bins, red bag, garbage, sewer or septic system.