Never before has healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry faced the challenges it does today in managing pharmaceutical waste in an environmentally responsible and compliant manner. Pharmaceuticals are now considered to be “emerging contaminants” and have been discovered in surface waters around the country. Many are also classified as “endocrine disruptors” and a number of common pharmaceuticals, such as epinephrine, warfarin, nicotine, and some chemotherapy agents, are considered to be hazardous chemical waste by EPA under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Many healthcare facilities and pharmacies have not yet developed the policies and procedures to identify, segregate, and manage the disposal of these pharmaceutical wastes in a cost effective and compliant manner. Proper hazardous chemical waste management is also a vital component of your organization’s hazardous response plan and employee safety program. Our ground-breaking seminars offer a clear, concise explanation of these new challenges and are directed towards pharmacy managers, safety officers, healthcare facility engineers, nursing managers, infection control nurses, and environmental services managers.

The first step in dealing with these issues is creating awareness and understanding. Contact us for more information in scheduling this high priority seminar for your professional organization.

A Partial Listing of Seminar Clients:

• American Society of Consultant Pharmacists
• American Society of Healthcare Environmental Services
• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Amerinet
• EPA Region 3
• Greater New York Hospital Association
• Health Industry Group Purchasing Association (HIGPA)
• Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
• IHC/AmeriNet
• Indiana Department of Environmental Health
• Iowa Pharmacy Association
• Minnesota Environmental Health Association
• Navy Environmental Health Center
• Novation
• Pennsylvania Pharmacy Association
• Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica
• Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin
• University Health-System Consortium
• University of Kansas
• University of Wisconsin Extension Services in Pharmacy
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

A Partial Listing of Seminar Topics

• The Significanceof Pharmaceuticals in Waste Water and Drinking Water
• Healthcare Hazardous Waste Inspection: Speaking the Same Language
• Managing Pharmaceutical Waste; Occupational Safety Health and Environmental Issues
• Risky Business: Managing Pharmaceutical Waste
• Chemical Minimization in Healthcare: Hazardous Chemicals and How to Avoid Them
• The Disposal of Pharmaceutical Waste
• PharmEcology®: Applying a New Discipline
• Preparing for an EPA Audit of Pharmaceutical Waste
• Safely Handling Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste
• Safely Managing Pharmaceutical Waste: A New Role for Consultant Pharmacists
• The ABCs of Pharmaceutical Waste
• Managing Pharmaceutical Waste; A New Pharmacy Management Discipline
• Implementing NIOSH Standards

Testimonials 

Kathleen Skibinski, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy

"Charlotte Smith’s presentation introduced the audience to the responsibilities of hazardous waste identification and disposal and the management of the risks associated with this waste. Safety is all about risk management and proactively identifying problems as well as solutions. Medication safety must include clinical, administrative, environmental, cultural and educational aspects of medication management; it truly encompasses all aspects of the medication use process."

Participants’ comments:

"The presentation demonstrated another great opportunity for pharmacy to demonstrate accountability in our provision of safe medication use to our patients."

"A need for education exists amongst our practice sites; a need for problem identification as well as resolutions."

"I was unaware of the subject matter and our responsibilities as a profession; I need to ensure a safe practice environment in the future."

Brett Higgins, Manager of Environmental Services, Genesis Medical Center, Davenport, Iowa, President of ASHES

"Charlotte Smith’s presentation at the American Society of Environmental Services conference really helped our members understand how important it is to make sure any waste pharmaceuticals are being properly managed for disposal. She gave them the information they need to start the process at their organizations."

Fee Schedule:

For pricing information, contact PharmEcology® Associates at 414-292-3959 or email us at info@pharmecology.com.