Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at Health Care Facilities Fact sheet

Fact Sheet; 821-F-10-007; August 2010

• Summary
• Background
• For More Information

Summary

EPA is requesting public comments on a draft guidance document entitled, "Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at Health Care Facilities." The guidance is for hospitals, medical clinics, doctors' offices, and long-term care facilities. EPA expects that this document will help reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals that are discharged to water bodies.

Background

EPA's study of unused pharmaceutical management practices at health care facilities was prompted by the concern that potentially large amounts of pharmaceuticals are being flushed or disposed of down the drain, ultimately ending up in rivers, streams and coastal waters.

The draft guidance document describes techniques for reducing or avoiding pharmaceutical waste, practices for identifying and managing types of unused pharmaceuticals, and applicable disposal regulations.

For More Information

You can view the Federal Register notice that requests comment at http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/unusedpharms_index.cfm. The public comment period for this draft guidance is 60 days from publication in the Federal Register.

Please send comments on the draft guidance to: unusedpharms@epa.gov

You make also contact Meghan Hessenauer at hessenauer.meghan@epa.gov.