Standards of Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal in Brandon and Clearwater, FL

 A medical facility, laboratories, and clinics are sure to generate an enormous amount of waste each day. Disposing them properly is of paramount importance. The facility cannot ignore the need and throw everything into a common trash bag to be discarded in the garbage. This action is a strict no-no as it includes the disposal of hazardous items. Cross-contamination is a problem that cannot be easily avoided either. The right way to go forward with pharmaceutical waste disposal in Brandon and Clearwater, FL, involves several steps necessary to comply with the safety standards.

Sure, the management of facilities that use many pharmaceutical drugs and specialized devices must maintain a routine to minimize the dangers. The people in charge are usually too busy to notice slight violations. This makes it necessary to delegate the responsibilities so that the users are not given a raw deal. The right way to dispose of pharmaceutical products is not too challenging when one follows a proven method.

Guidelines for disposal of pharmaceutical wastes

· Segregation- This is an important step that should not be missed at any cost. An individual who is well aware of pharmaceutical waste must take care not to mix it up with other biohazards and throw it into the red container marked as dangerous. On the contrary, each remnant should be placed in the specified orange container meant to hold pharmaceutical waste and remnants of prescription drugs as well as the specialized devices that have been used.

· Removal of Controlled Substances- It is also vital to identify and remove controlled substances such as opiates and benzodiazepines. Handling of these substances must comply with the “U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)” rules. The authorities will advise contacting a distributor to collect the substances that have not been used. They are usually destroyed as per the norms or delivered to the manufacturer for distribution. There is enormous paperwork associated with the handling of such materials. No worries! The DEA will deal with it and offer advice about using the right color-coded container for easy identification. The authorities also provide a mandate for handling the containers.

· Elimination of Trace Chemotherapy Wastes- All chemotherapy drugs for cancer patients can harm healthy individuals even when exposed to trace quantities. The waste materials may include IV tubings, medicine vials, and PPE kits used by the professionals treating the patient(s). It is essential to place all of these in the FDA-advised yellow-colored container before final disposal. The chemotherapy waste that had never been used is also considered hazardous waste and must be discarded according to the standards.

No facility or public institution can afford to risk non-compliance when it is time to discard hazardous substances. The medical waste disposal in Brandon and Clearwater, FL, must follow the state rules and that of the EPA carefully and connect with a licensed company known for quality disposal service.