Nov. 21

Federal environmental regulators have proposed adding hazardous pharmaceutical waste to the Universal Waste Rule to provide a streamlined system for disposing of the material and to protect public health and the environment.

The proposed rule also would encourage generators to dispose of pharmaceutical waste classified as nonhazardous under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as universal waste.

The proposed rule would apply to pharmacies, hospitals, physicians’ and dentists’ offices, outpatient care centers, ambulatory health care services, residential care facilities, veterinary clinics, and other facilities that generate hazardous pharmaceutical waste. It would not apply to pharmaceutical manufacturing or production facilities.

The federal Universal Waste Rule currently applies to items including batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, and lamps.

The EPA will accept comments for 60 days following publication of the proposal in the Federal Register in about two weeks.

Information on the proposed rule is available at www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/wastetypes/universal/pharm.htm.

Contact Waste News senior reporter Bruce Geiselman at (330) 865-6172 or bgeiselman@crain.com

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