40 CFR 266.505
Effective 8/21/2019 - Prohibition of sewering hazardous waste pharmaceuticals
It is mandatory that all healthcare facilities are prohibited from sewering hazardous waste pharmaceuticals. See HW Drugs. This regulation applies to all impacted facilities regardless of generator status. A formulary review will indicate which pharmaceuticals are RCRA hazardous waste.
Pharmaceutical Wastage
What is pharmaceutical wastage? DEA Letter to Practitioners
- This sewer ban even applies to pharmaceuticals that are considered "Pharmaceutical Wastage" by the DEA. If a pharmaceutical is both DEA controlled and hazardous waste, even the waste left over after administration is prohibited from being drain disposed.
- Generally, 3rd party devices whose purpose it is to dispose of Pharmaceutical Wastage by making the drug non-retrievable are not designed to accept any HWP's. Check with the 3rd party distributors and manufacturers of these devices to verify.