Industry News

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2024-2025 Flu Season

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish a summary of the proper flu vaccine disposal guidelines for the 2024-2025 flu season as a public service to the healthcare community....
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• Posted: August 15, 2024

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2023-2024 Flu Season

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish a summary of the proper flu vaccine disposal guidelines for the 2023-2024 flu season as a public service to the healthcare community....
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• Posted: August 31, 2023

Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals: One More Chance to be Heard!

On August 9, 2023, EPA published two announcements in the Federal Register regarding Technical Corrections to the Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule...
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• Posted: August 18, 2023

NIOSH Publishes Two of Three Hazardous Drug Documents

On April 27, 2023, NIOSH published two documents relating to hazardous drugs in the Federal Register and on the NIOSH website. The two documents, Procedures for Developing the NIOSH List of Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings, and Managing Hazardous Drug Exposures: Information for Healthcare Settings, are companion pieces to the actual list of hazardous drugs...
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• Posted: June 22, 2023

HWI Petitions EPA for Regulatory Relief due to Hazardous Waste Incinerator Backlog

The Healthcare Waste Institute, HWI, is a non-profit trade organization representing a variety of medical waste transporters and disposers that service the healthcare industry...
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• Posted: January 24, 2023

EPA Publishes Revised 10-Step Blueprint for Managing Pharmaceutical Waste

EPA has released the revised 10-Step Blueprint for Managing Pharmaceutical Waste in US Healthcare Facilities. The initial Blueprint was first released in 2006 and updated in 2008. This new version features the Subpart P Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Rule, the hazardous waste Sewer Ban, and the OTC Nicotine Exemption. ...
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• Posted: October 10, 2022

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2022-2023 Flu Season

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish a summary of the proper flu vaccine disposal guidelines for the 2022-2023 flu season as a public service to the healthcare community....
(click here for additional information)

• Posted: August 23, 2022

EPA Sewer Ban Fact Sheet

EPA recently published a Sewer Ban Fact Sheet which addresses which healthcare facilities must comply with the nation-wide sewer ban, which pharmaceuticals are included in the ban, and how the sewer ban impacts DEA controlled substances...
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• Posted: June 01, 2022

USP Publishes Draft Chapter <795> and Chapter <797> for Comment

On September 1, 2021, USP published for comment its proposed revisions to Chapter <795> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Nonsterile Preparations and to Chapter <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Sterile Preparations...
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• Posted: September 02, 2021

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2021-2022 Flu Season

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish a summary of the proper flu vaccine disposal guidelines for the 2021-2022 flu season as a public service to the healthcare community....
(click here for additional information)

• Posted: July 28, 2021

PharmEcology Launches New Web-based Portal Featuring USP <800> Assessment of Risk

PharmEcology Services, is launching a fresh new web-based portal for our clients which individualizes access based on products and services purchased. Our new portal is user-friendly and flexible. An important new feature is our USP <800> customized Assessment of Risk at the NDC level. ...
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• Posted: July 27, 2021

Reducing Pharmaceuticals in Hospital Wastewater

Health Care Without Harm Europe recently published the document Pharmaceutical Residues in Hospital Wastewater which explores the impacts hospitals have on community wastewater treatment efforts and describes five pilot projects to reduce common drug residues such as chemotherapy and contrast agents in hospital discharges. ...
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• Posted: July 26, 2021

DoD Secure Disposal of Vaccine Vials and Packaging Recommendations

On May 18, 2021, the Department of Defense published follow-up recommendations to ensure that used COVID 19 vaccine supplies, including empty vials and packaging, are not available for counterfeiting operations and potential re-introduction into the marketplace....
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• Posted: May 25, 2021

March 16, 2021 –Lots of Moving Parts: NIOSH 2020

While we wait for the NIOSH 2020 List and related documents to be finalized, let’s take a quick look at what we can expect, based on the Draft versions. As our title indicates, there are significant changes in both the categorization of hazardous drugs in the NIOSH 2020 List and in the processes surrounding these categorizations. ...
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• Posted: March 16, 2021

J&J Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Disposal Guidance

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish J&J Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Disposal Guidance...
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• Posted: March 01, 2021

MODERNA COVID-19 Vaccine Disposal Guidance

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish MODERNA COVID-19 Vaccine Disposal Guidance...
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• Posted: December 28, 2020

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Disposal Guidance

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Disposal Guidance...
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• Posted: December 22, 2020

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2020-2021 Flu Season

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish a summary of the proper flu vaccine disposal guidelines for the 2020-2021 flu season as a public service to the healthcare community....
(click here for additional information)

• Posted: August 31, 2020

NIOSH 2020: Key Impacts on Your Organization!

On May 1, 2020, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released the long-awaited proposed “NIOSH List of Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings, 2020”, as well as “Procedures for Developing the NIOSH List of Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings” and “Managing Hazardous Drug Exposures: Information for Healthcare Settings” in the Federal Register....
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• Posted: August 31, 2020

PharmEcology - Twenty Years and Counting!

PharmEcology Services was founded on August 1, 2000, which in today’s world seems like ancient history. It’s also ancient history in terms of how pharmaceutical waste is managed by healthcare facilities today....
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• Posted: August 13, 2020

Comment Deadline Looming June 30, 2020 on NIOSH 2020 List and Documents

Pharmacy Practice News recently published a summary by PharmEcology regulatory staff of the three documents provided for comment in the Federal Register on May 1, 2020....
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• Posted: May 20, 2020

NIOSH Publishes Proposed 2020 Hazardous Drug List and Procedures

NIOSH has published for comment the long awaited revised 2020 Hazardous Drug List along with information for managing hazardous drug exposure and the NIOSH procedures for developing the list. ...
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• Posted: May 01, 2020

How to Notify under EPA’s Subpart P on Form 8700-12

As an increasing number of states adopt EPA’s new hazardous waste pharmaceuticals rule, 40 CFR 266 Subpart P, healthcare facilities will be challenged to determine if they must register with EPA....
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• Posted: February 21, 2020

EPA Authorizes Alternate PHRM Code on Manifest

Based on concerns expressed by industry regarding the inability of healthcare facilities to list the entire PHARMS code in Item 13 required under the new 266 Subpart P Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals which went into effect in non-authorized states August 21, 2019, EPA has issued an alternate code, PHRM, which fits into the paper hazardous waste manifest which is still in common usage....
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• Posted: January 17, 2020

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2019-2020 Flu Season

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish a summary of the proper flu vaccine disposal guidelines for the 2019-2020 flu season as a public service to the healthcare community....
(click here for additional information)

• Posted: September 12, 2019

EPA’s New Hazardous Waste Pharmaceutical Rule: Top Takeaways

EPA’s New Hazardous Waste Pharmaceutical Rule - Top Takeaways...
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• Posted: March 05, 2019

EPA Signs New Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals

EPA has issued the pre-publication version of its Final Rule on the management of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals with the following summary: SUMMARY: Some pharmaceuticals are regulated as hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) when discarded....
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• Posted: December 12, 2018

PharmEcology Launches USP <800> Assessment of Risk Consulting Service

With the December 1, 2019 deadline for USP <800> compliance only a year away, PharmEcology Services, WMSS is launching a unique consulting service which leverages the PharmEcology database to provide a customized Assessment of Risk (A of R) for clients based on their Inventory Analysis along with an A of R algorithm that enables healthcare facilities to customize relevant decisions, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), containment strategies, etc. ...
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• Posted: November 12, 2018

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2018-2019 Flu Season

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish a summary of the proper flu vaccine disposal guidelines for the 2018-2019 flu season as a public service to the healthcare community....
(click here for additional information)

• Posted: September 01, 2018

The EPA’s e-Manifest system for tracking hazardous waste is now in effect as of July 1, 2018

On July 1, 2018 EPA launched its Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System, known as e-Manifest, for the tracking of hazardous waste, including hazardous waste pharmaceuticals, from the generator through to final disposal. ...
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• Posted: July 03, 2018

The Joint Commission (TJC) to focus on pharmaceutical wastage during surveys beginning January 1, 2018

According to the standards described below, The Joint Commission will focus on pharmaceutical wastage of controlled substances as well as hazardous pharmaceutical wastage with a focus on applicable diversion prevention strategies....
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• Posted: January 05, 2018

USP Announces Delay in Implementation of USP <800> to December 1, 2019

USP made the announcement of the implementation delay on its website on September 29th, 2017 as follows:

Important Updates

USP is announcing the intent to postpone the official date of General Chapter <800>.

• Posted: October 02, 2017

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2017-2018 Flu Season

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish a summary of the proper flu vaccine disposal guidelines for the 2017-2018 flu season as a public service to the healthcare community. ...
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• Posted: September 14, 2017

EPA Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule Effective Federally May 30, 2017

The EPA Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule became effective federally May 30, 2017. It is therefore active in Iowa and Alaska, two states that operate under federal EPA authority. ...
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• Posted: August 15, 2017

NIOSH 2016 List Updates

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Alert: Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings was published originally in September 2004 in which NIOSH identified a sample list of major hazardous drugs. The list was updated in 2010, 2012, 2014 and most recently in September 2016....
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• Posted: July 17, 2017

PharmEcology Launches New State-Specific Website

PharmEcology Services, a business unit of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to announce our new website and database to better serve our clients....
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• Posted: April 01, 2017

New Increased EPA RCRA Civil Penalty Authority

In 2015, Congress raised the penalty authority regarding a number of statutes, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ...
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• Posted: January 30, 2017

EPA Announces Publication of the Final Rule: Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements

The EPA Administrator signed the Final Rule: Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements on October 28, 2016 and it was published in the Federal Register (FR) on November 28, 2016. ...
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• Posted: January 02, 2017

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2016-2017 Flu Season

PharmEcology, a division of WM Sustainability Services, is pleased to publish a summary of the proper flu vaccine disposal guidelines for the 2016-2017 flu season as a public service to the healthcare community...
(click here for additional information)

• Posted: October 11, 2016

NIOSH Publishes 2016 Hazardous Drug List

NIOSH has published its biennial update of the hazardous drug list and continued its practice of offering three tables of products: 

• Group 1: Antineoplastic drugs; 
  
• Group 2: Non-antineoplastic drugs that meet one or more of the NIOSH criteria for a hazardous drug; and 
  
• Group3: Drugs that primarily pose a reproductive risk to men and women who are actively trying to conceive and women who are pregnant or breast feeding
  

• Posted: September 13, 2016

OSHA Updates Hazardous Drug Handling Website

OSHA has updated its 1999 Technical Manual on handling hazardous drugs...
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• Posted: May 27, 2016

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2015-2016 Flu Vaccines

Each year, PharmEcology Services, a division of WM Sustainability Services, publishes a summary of the proper disposal guidelines for the current year''s flu vaccines as a public service to the healthcare community. For this season, it is estimated that manufacturers will provide between 171 to 179 million doses of vaccine to the U.S. market...
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• Posted: November 02, 2015

EPA Publishes New Proposed Pharmaceutical Waste and Generator Regulations

On August 31, 2015, EPA has published the pre-publication versions of the Proposed Rule: Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals and the Proposed Rule: Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements....
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• Posted: August 31, 2015

USP 800 Hazardous Drugs - Republished for Comments, due May 31, 2015

On December 1, 2014, the Compounding Expert Committee announced its intention to republish General Chapter <800> Hazardous Drugs - Handling in Healthcare Settings in the Pharmacopeial Forum (PF). The General Chapter, which was originally published in PF 40(3) [May-June 2014], provides standards to protect personnel and the environment when handling hazardous drugs....
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• Posted: March 18, 2015

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2014 - 2015 Flu Vaccines

As a public service to the healthcare community, every year Waste Management publishes an analysis of the proper disposal guidelines for the current year's seasonal flu vaccines. This year's trivalent flu vaccines provide immunization for the A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus, A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus, and B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like virus. Quadrivalent vaccines will include an additional vaccine virus strain, a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus....
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• Posted: November 11, 2014

DEA Publishes Clarification Letter to the Healthcare Industry

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published a clarification letter to the healthcare industry with respect to the new controlled substance disposal rule published September 10, 2014, indicating that "...once a controlled substance has been dispensed to a patient by an institutional practitioner....
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• Posted: October 17, 2014

DEA Publishes Final Regulations Regarding the Disposal of Controlled Substances

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published the final rule regarding the disposal of controlled substances as authorized by the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 by expanding the options available to collect controlled substances from ultimate users for the purposes of disposal....
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• Posted: September 09, 2014

NIOSH Publishes 2014 Hazardous Drug List

On September 5th, 2014, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), published the 2014 NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings, commonly referred to as the NIOSH Hazardous Drug Alert...
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• Posted: September 05, 2014

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2013-2014 Flu Vaccines

As a public service to the healthcare community, every year Waste Management publishes an analysis of the proper disposal guidelines for the current year's seasonal flu vaccines. This year's trivalent flu vaccines provide immunization for the A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus, A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus, and B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like virus. Quadrivalent vaccines will include an additional vaccine virus strain, a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus....
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• Posted: October 15, 2013

PharmEcology® Provides Disposal Guidelines for the 2012-2013 Flu Vaccines

As a public service to the healthcare community, every year Waste Management publishes an analysis of the proper disposal guidelines for the current year's seasonal flu vaccines. This year's seasonal flu vaccines provide immunization for the A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus, A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus, and B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like virus....
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• Posted: January 24, 2013

DEA Publishes Proposed Changes in the Regulations Regarding the Disposal of Controlled Substances

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published proposed regulatory changes regarding the disposal of controlled substances as authorized by the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010....
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• Posted: December 21, 2012

Pfizer and Waste Management Launch Online Pharmaceutical Disposal Guide

Health care providers can sustainably manage the disposal of any Pfizer drug product with online search engine that provides waste categorization and disposal information....
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• Posted: September 13, 2012

NIOSH Publishes Updated Hazardous Drug List

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Alert: Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Health Care Settings was published in September 2004....
(click here for additional information)

• Posted: July 12, 2012

EPA Inaction in Identifying Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals May Result in Unsafe Disposal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General has released Report No. 12-P-0508 dated May 25, 2012....
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• Posted: May 31, 2012

EPA Decides Phentermine Salts are not Hazardous Under RCRA

In October, 2010, the EPA issued an official email indicating that Phentermine salts should not be considered hazardous under the listing for Phentermine, P046...
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• Posted: December 06, 2011

EPA Guidance on Containers that Once Held P-Listed Pharmaceuticals

In a letter dated November 4, 2011, the EPA issued additional guidance for the management of containers that have held P-listed pharmaceuticals, most commonly warfarin (P001) and nicotine (P075)....
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• Posted: December 05, 2011

PharmEcology® Re-categorizes Bracco's Barium Sulfate Contrast Medium

Effective immediately, PharmEcology has re-categorized most of Bracco Diagnostics' barium sulfate contrast medium products. Based upon the latest information we have received from Bracco Diagnostics, PharmEcology now recommends that these products be disposed of as non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste....
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• Posted: October 24, 2011

PharmEcology® Presents Disposal Guidelines for the 2011-2012 Flu Vaccines

As part of our ongoing tracking of flu vaccines, PharmEcology presents updated disposal guidelines for this year's seasonal flu vaccines, which provides immunization for the H1N1 flu in addition to the current strains of the seasonal flu. These vaccines are now widely available and vaccination programs are well underway....
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• Posted: September 12, 2011

The EPA Publishes Draft Guidance On Best Management Practices for Health Care Facilities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a draft guidance document proposing Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at Health Care Facilities. The EPA published this document because scientists have identified numerous pharmaceutical compounds at discernable concentrations in our nation's rivers, lakes, and drinking waters and the Agency believes existing practices at medical facilities contribute to this problem by disposing large quantities of unused pharmaceuticals down the drain....
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• Posted: September 22, 2010

Waste Management Subsidiary Acquires PharmEcology Associates

WM Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (WMHS), a subsidiary of Waste Management, Inc., announced today that it has purchased substantially all of the assets of PharmEcology® Associates, LLC....
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• Posted: April 16, 2009

AP Round 2: Even More Drugs in Our Water!

With a series of press releases last week, the Associated Press provided additional details about the emerging problem of trace pharmaceuticals in our nation's water supply. These reports are follow-up to the original AP series last March which triggered both federal and local legislative hearings into a problem which the public is becomming more aware of by the day....
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• Posted: September 18, 2008

EPA Excludes P- and U- Listed Residues in Syringes

On May 19th, 2008, EPA posted an interpretation letter which extends the previous 1994 exclusion of residual epinephrine in a used, discarded syringe to other P- and U- listed drugs, unless they exhibit another characteristic of hazardous waste, such as ignitability....
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• Posted: May 19, 2008

AP Probe Finds Drugs In Our Water Supply

"Drugs In Our Water Supply" was the topic of discussion in three recent investigative articles published by the Associated Press....
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• Posted: March 13, 2008

PharmEcology® Revises Status of EPI and Nitro in the PharmE® Waste Wizard

In response to USEPA's memo declaring that epinephrine salts are not P042 and therefore are not necessarily hazardous waste, PharmEcology has reviewed all epinephrine producte in its database and has determined that all formulated items are either hydrochloride, bitartrate, or borate salts of epinephrine...
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• Posted: October 23, 2007

EPA Declares Epinephrine Salts not P042!

EPA Region 1 issued a release today clarifying the scope of the hazardous waste listing for Epinephrine, Hazardous Waste Code P042. As described in the EPA release, EPA has determined that the scope of the P042 listing does not include epinephrine salts....
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• Posted: October 16, 2007

PharmEcology® Receives Patent On Pharmaceutical Waste Identification System

At a time when healthcare facilities face a growing threat of liability for inappropriate disposal of pharmaceutical waste, PharmEcology® Associates, LLC, announced today that the U.S. Patent Office has issued their patent for a Pharmaceutical Hazardous Waste Identification and Management System, Patent # 7,096,161....
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• Posted: August 22, 2006

New AJHP Article Documents Contamination of Chemo Vials; H2E Offers Chemotherapy Teleconference

The American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy reports on mounting evidence that employees who receive and handle chemotherapy drugs should wear gloves to reduce potential contamination. Also, H2E offers a Chemotherapy teleconference on Friday, March 11th....
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• Posted: March 07, 2005

PharmEcology® Announces a New Brand, a New Wizard, and New Waste Categories!

As pharmaceutical waste management evolves, we’re evolving too! To better serve our clients, we’ve developed the PharmE™ trademark to identify our growing line of products and services....
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• Posted: February 19, 2005

The EPA Provides Additional Clarifications on P and U Listed Drug Wastes

PharmEcology® has received official assurance from the EPA that P and U listed drugs remaining in a discarded syringe would not be classified as a listed hazardous waste....
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• Posted: August 04, 2004

Drug Topics Highlights the PharmE™ Waste Wizard

Drug Topics' Newsbreaks article covers the PharmE™ Waste Wizard, a "new service to help hospitals manage their drug waste." Reprinted with permission....
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• Posted: September 15, 2003

Waste Pharmaceuticals Considered to be “Emerging Contaminants” in Surface Waters

Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and other organic wastewater contaminants found in 139 streams around the country made the headlines in March, 2002. Based on a U.S. Geological Survey study published in the March 15, 2002 issue of Environmental Science and Technology (ES&T)...
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• Posted: April 02, 2002