Pharmaceutical Waste

If pharmaceutical waste is not stored and disposed of correctly, it can prove to be extremely harmful to the environment along with human and animal health. Contact the experts today on 0800 211 8390 we collect all types of pharmaceutical waste from all locations in the UK

Pharmaceutical Waste Management

As an employer, you have a legal duty to ensure that any pharmaceutical waste your business produces is managed, stored and disposed of in a safe and suitable manner. The ‘duty of care’ that you are assigned as an employer means that you could face legal action, should you fail to follow the regulations on managing pharmaceutical waste.

We can provide your company with professional waste disposal units, to ensure that your pharmaceutical waste is safely collected and disposed of.

Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal

What is pharmaceutical waste?

Pharmaceutical waste is any waste that contains medicinal drugs that are expired, unused, contaminated damaged or no longer needed. Our waste services can help with the collection and disposal of the following:

Cytotoxic waste
Cytostatic waste
Pharmaceutical stock which is out of date
Pharmaceutical stock which is no longer required
Controlled drugs destruction kits
Recalled pharmaceutical stock
Pharmi bins
PPE waste
All waste associated with pharmaceutical

Pharmaceutical Waste Recycling

How to you dispose of pharmaceutical waste?

Pharmaceutical waste can not be disposed of in the usual way. Special care and precautions must be taken when handling and disposing of pharmaceutical waste due to its dangerous nature. If your pharmaceutical waste is not disposed of appropriately, the effects can be devastating, not only for the public and the environment but for your business.

For the peace of mind that your business is fully compliant with the relevant regulations on pharmaceutical waste, contact our knowledgeable team today.

Pharmaceutical Waste Bins

What bins and containers are available for Pharmaceutical waste?

As mentioned previously, Pharmaceutical waste must be stored securely before collection. This minimises the chance of the waste leaking, spilling or contaminating the rest of the waste accumulated on your property. At Business Waste, we provide a wide range of different bins and containers for Pharmaceutical waste. This includes:

Clinical Waste Bags

Cytotoxic and Cytostatic Waste Bags.

These bags are purple so that you will not confuse them with your regular waste bags and are designed to safely and securely store cytotoxic and cytostatic waste. You can dispose of the following items in them:

Clinical Non-infectious – Yellow and Black Clinical Waste Bag

If your pharmaceutical waste is non-infectious, it can be stored in a yellow or black clinical waste bag. This includes:

Yellow Clinical Waste Bag Clinical – Highly Infectious Hazardous

Any waste that is considered ‘infectious’, or could be contaminated should be stored in these bags. This includes:

Dental Clinical Waste Container

If you own a dental practice or surgery, you need to ensure your waste is disposed of safely. You can dispose of the following items in our white waste containers:

Sharps Bins

Sharp Bins are containers that have a specially designed lid to ensure that the materials contained within them cannot be easily accessed. They are used to store materials such as:

Medical Waste Bins

Additionally, we can provide you with a range of Medical Waste Bins in a variety of sizes. Each bin will have a different coloured lid, depending upon the materials contained within it. At Business waste, we can work closely with you to provide you with the appropriate resources and develop a collection plan that works for you.

How often should you have Pharmaceutical waste collected?

Ideally, you should not leave pharmaceutical waste lying around, especially if you are producing large volumes of waste each day.

To begin with, if you work in a clinical facility, you need to ensure that waste is taken to your designated waste collection point three times a day. This means that the waste is stored securely, minimising the chance of it being contaminated, or causing harm to others. However, it is essential that your waste is also collected regularly, to minimise any risks associated with the waste itself.

Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal

The disposal of pharmaceutical waste does not have to be overcomplicated. Once you tell us your business’s needs, we can advise you on the best course of action to take. Whether you need a cytotoxic and cytostatic waste bin, pharma bins or CODE kits, we have a choice of options to ensure that we are meeting your organisation’s requirements, as best as we possibly can.

What are the laws governing Pharmaceutical waste storage and disposal?

There are numerous laws and legislations designed to govern Pharmaceutical waste storage and disposal. This includes:

What are the Hazardous Waste Regulations, 2005 ?

According to the HSE, Hazardous waste is any waste that ‘contains substances or has properties that might make it harmful to human health or the environment’. By that definition, pharmaceutical waste can be classified as hazardous. As such, you are required to comply with the Hazardous Waste Regulations, 2005 when disposing of it.

This means that you must register with the Environment Agency unless you are producing less than 500 kg of hazardous waste annually. You can register online, via the UKGov website, for just £18. You must ensure that pharmaceutical waste is stored separately from your general waste, to avoid cross-contamination. It must also be stored securely before collection. Finally, you are also responsible for ensuring that your waste is properly disposed of by a licensed carrier, such as BusinessWaste.co.uk

What are the Controlled Waste Regulations, 2012 ?

This legislation focuses on ensuring that waste is controlled as disposed of. The regulation states that all waste – be that household or commercial – is classified as ‘controlled waste’. This means that it is subject to the Environment Protection Act.

What is The Environment Protection Act, 1990 (including duty of care regulations)?

This legislation, as the name suggests, was put into place to protect the environment from further harm. It enforces a ‘duty of care’ on anyone who produces, carries or disposes of waste to ensure that it’s safely disposed of, in a way that minimises our impact on the environment. To comply, you must ensure that your waste is stored securely. No unauthorised personnel (such as the general public) should be able to gain access to the waste. Additionally, you need to ensure that you use the appropriate storage containers so that the waste does not leak or spill.

If handing waste to a waste carrier, you must ensure that they have the appropriate licences. Each time waste is transferred, you must put together a written receipt. This is sometimes referred to as a waste transfer note. A waste transfer note must contain the following information:

A detailed description of the waste. You should also note down the European Waste Catalogue code for your waste. For example, the EWC code for medicine is 18 01 09.

The above list is by no means exhaustive, but it is clear that many of the legislations overlap. As a result, you can quickly gain an understanding of what is expected of you as a business owner. If you do not follow the above guidelines, you will be going against the law and could face hefty fines and even imprisonment if caught.

There are many different options that your organisation may choose to take regarding pharmaceutical waste. We are here to answer any questions that you may have, so call us today for further assistance. We can also offer new customers with a free bin, and a free quote! So call us today on 0800 211 8390.