Healthcare entities are facing several changes when it comes to managing pharmaceuticals considered to be hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), according to an article on the Environmental Leader website.
The final rule for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals was released in the Federal Register on Feb. 22, 2019, and outlines a new set of sector-specific standards.
The final rule goes into effect Aug. 21, 2019.
The new regulation prohibits the disposal of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals down the drain and eliminates the dual regulation of RCRA hazardous waste pharmaceuticals that are also Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) controlled substances.
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