Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Services

Hazardous waste is any waste with properties that make it dangerous or capable of harming human or environmental health. It can be generated from a vast variety of sources, including pharmaceutical waste.

The federal and provincial laws gets more specific in defining hazardous waste through four lists: P, U, K, and F. When it comes to hazardous pharmaceutical waste the P and U lists are relevant, and the ones you want to pay the most attention to. They include drugs such as warfarin, nicotine, lindane, and cyclophosphamide. Additionally, many drugs meet the definition of the different characteristic wastes (ignitability, corrosivity, toxicity, and reactivity) which all must be managed as hazardous waste.

Waste segregation at source is the process of separating different wastes (e.g. pills, powders, liquids, etc.), by their final method of disposal, at the time they expire or can no longer be used (e.g. patient discharge). This step is vital in ensuring your program is fully in compliance with all provincial, federal and TDG laws.

If you need assistance with this portion of the process, Hazardous Waste Experts would be happy to assist with how each different waste needs to be segregated and disposed of by any and all regulations in your area.

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the fastest-growing and most profitable industries in North America. Many large pharmaceutical companies also produce products for animals. A 2009 NRDC study estimated that around 27.8 million pounds of antibiotics, alone, were sold in the United States throughout 2007. Without regulations advocating good disposal practices, these contaminants will make their way into the global aquatic environment and cause issues for humans, as well.