Proper Handling of Propofol Waste: Disposal in Anesthesia Setting

Proper Handling of Propofol Waste: Disposal in Anesthesia Setting April 18, 2022 | Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal What is Propofol? Propofol, is an anesthetic that can cause relaxation and sleepiness before and during medical procedures. Also known under the brand name of Diprivan, it’s a non-barbiturate sedative used primarily by trained …

Controlled Substances Disposal in Hospitals and the Opioid Crisis

Controlled Substances Disposal in Hospitals and the Opioid Crisis April 6, 2024 | Controlled Substance Disposal Compliance The opioid crisis has been a pressing issue worldwide, affecting millions of lives and challenging healthcare systems globally. Hospitals, as frontline institutions in managing pain and administering medications, play a crucial role in …

Controlled Substance Disposal in Hospitals and the Opioid Crisis

Controlled Substance Disposal in Hospitals and the Opioid Crisis March 23, 2022 | Drug Diversion Prevention The opioid crisis is an epidemic in the United States with an estimated 130 people dying every day due to an opioid overdose.  The economic burden of this national emergency is estimated by the Centers for …

Why activated charcoal works best to stop drug abuse?

Why Activated Charcoal Works Best to Stop Drug Abuse? March 9, 2022 | Drug Diversion Prevention Science made easy… Rx Destroyer™ begins dissolving medications on contact via a proprietary solvent that is a ready to use water-based solvent. The slurry’s main ingredient is an activated carbon that naturally adsorbs medication through …

How Surgical Centers & Hospitals Can Help Fight the Opioid Crisis

How Surgical Centers & Hospitals Can Help Fight the Opioid Crisis March 2, 2022 | Drug Diversion Prevention The opioid crisis in the United States is a full blown epidemic, with nearly 50,000 people having died from an opioid overdose in the U.S. in 2019 alone, according to the National …

21 CFR 1308 – Drug Diversion & The DEA

21 CFR 1308 – Drug Diversion & The DEA Feb. 23, 2022 | 21 CFR Compliance Managing pharmaceutical waste in health care facilities and any organization which manages medications, must carefully regulate the control and disposal of pharmaceutical waste.  The responsibility of safe disposal falls on the organization’s DEA Registrant. The …

Destruction of Non-Controlled Substances is Just as Important

Destruction of Non-Controlled Substances is Just as Important Feb. 3, 2022 | Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal It is important to dispose of all medications properly, including controlled and noncontrolled substances.  The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors many National Prescription Drug Take Back days across the U.S., and many communities …

Proper Disposal in Pharmaceutical Research is Extremely Important

Why Proper Disposal in Pharmaceutical Research is Extremely Important June 22, 2023 | Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal What is Pharmaceutical Research? Pharmaceutical research is a broad term encompassing the scientific investigations and studies conducted by pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and academic laboratories to discover, develop, and evaluate new drugs. It is …

Disposal of Psychoactive Medications with Activated Carbon

According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health in November of 2016, an activated carbon-based drug disposal system was proven to be effective for deactivation and disposal of psychoactive medications. Psychoactive drugs are prescribed for the treatment of insomnia, pain relief and as antidepressants and as mood …

Disposal Of Model Prescription Sedative Medications with Active Carbon

According to an article published with Scientific Reports in February of 2020, an evaluation of activated carbon used for the safe disposal of prescription sedative medications proved to be effective.  Scientific Reports publishes rigorously peer-reviewed research across natural sciences including engineering, psychology, and medicine. The Need For Safe And Convenient …

Corporate Wellness Plans Should include At-Home Drug Disposal

Preventing drug use and misuse does not have to stop at the workplace, employers are realizing the benefits of helping workers to dispose of pharmaceuticals at home. How Your Wellness Plan Benefits with At-Home Drug Disposal Human Resource departments in corporations across the country are well aware of the potential …

Long Term Care Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Options

Long Term Care Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Options February 5, 2024 | Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Long-term care facilities provide crucial care to a range of populations who are unable to live independently. Long-term care facilities may provide physical and medical care, often over periods of months to years. This care typically …

Hazardous Drug Handling Protocol from USP <800>

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a private, non-profit, organization although many standards issued by the USP are enforced at many regulatory agencies including the Joint Commission and individual state’s Boards of Pharmacy. The latest chapter, USP General Chapter <800>, provides standards for the safe handling of hazardous drugs in …

Waste Segregation is Key to a Successful Drug Disposal Program

Segregating pharmaceutical waste in hospitals or healthcare clinics at the source is part of a good plan for safe drug disposal that meets federal regulations.  The Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, provide federal regulations regarding the safe and compliant handling and disposal of pharmaceutical waste. …

21 CFR: If It’s not Documented It Didn’t Happen

Maintaining a pharmaceutical waste disposal program that meets federal regulations must comply with DEA Code of Federal Regulations, CFR, 21, 40 and 42.  These regulations pertain to the methods of drug waste disposal deemed safe and compliant by the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA.  Every facility, DEA registrant, distributor or reverse …

Do you Know What It Takes to Be DEA Compliant?

  Maintaining a drug disposal system that is compliant to all DEA regulations is critical for facilities to prevent environmental contamination and drug diversion.  All too frequently, healthcare workers are not properly trained on drug disposal practices that meet regulatory requirements and in some cases are even instructed to dispose …

Navigating the Dental Industries Role in the Ongoing Opioid Challenge

Navigating the Dental Industries Role in the Ongoing Opioid Challenge March 04, 2024 | Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal The Crucial Role of Dentists in the Opioid Epidemic Dentists play a pivotal role in the opioid epidemic, serving as major prescribers of pain medications for various dental and oral surgical procedures. The …

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) Measures Opioid Use in Communities

Opioid use is an epidemic in United States and researchers are coming up with new ways to evaluate opioid use in communities.  A study published in the National Institutes of Health used robotic technology to measure levels of opioid metabolites in various manholes at 10 different sites in North Carolina. …

Just How Big Is the Prescription Drug Water Contamination Problem?

Just How Big is the Prescription Drug Water Contamination Problem? April 04, 2024 | Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Prescription drugs play a vital role in modern healthcare, providing relief and treatment for various medical conditions. However, the improper disposal of these medications poses a significant threat to the environment and public …

Improper Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Will Cost You

Improperly disposing of pharmaceuticals creates potentially dangerous consequences with one of the greatest threats causing danger to humans and animals. Improper pharmaceutical waste disposal also causes staggering consequences to the environment. Improper handling, storage or disposal of pharmaceutical waste creates hazards within the workplace as well as safety hazards to …

OSHA Guidelines for Medical Waste

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not regulate the final disposal of medical waste, although the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standard created in 1991 has specific requirements regarding specific types of waste.  The purpose of the standard is to protect the more than 5.6 million healthcare workers …

Which Form Documents the Destruction of Controlled Substances

Which Form Documents the Destruction of Controlled Substances? Many federal and state rules apply to the administration, management, storage, and destruction of controlled substances. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), outlines the regulations that govern disposal of controlled substances by ultimate users and registrants in DEA 21 CFR, Code of Federal …

Challenges to Cost-Effective Medication Management in Correctional Facilities

Administering medication in any clinical setting comes with several challenges and risks such as opportunities for error, drug diversion and cost constraints.  Managing medication in a jail or prison is even more challenging for nurses and medical staff.  Medication management in correctional facilities requires daily administration of drugs to thousands …

Diversion of Controlled Drugs from Hospitals

The diversion of controlled drugs from hospitals has been a rising problem across the United States and Canada with hospitals feeling pressure to implement safeguards that prevent drug diversion. According to the International Narcotics Control Board, the United States and Canada are the two highest consumers per capita of opioids …

Veterinary Handling, Storage and Disposal of Controlled Substances

Prescription medications including controlled substances can help people and animals when they are used correctly. These same medications can be extremely dangerous to humans and animals if they are handled, stored, or disposed of improperly. Veterinary practices as well as animal hospitals, zoos and animal clinics must follow strict policies …

Why Is Non-Retrievable Waste Disposal of Controlled Substances Important?

Secure Disposal of Controlled Substances Is Critical  The safe and secure disposal of expired medications is a key strategy to prevent drug diversion, accidental ingestion, and pollution. Rendering controlled substances non-retrievable provides for a safe and secure disposal of controlled substances and is a compliant method of destruction in accordance …

Procedures for the Destruction of Non-Controlled Substances

Disposing of pharmaceutical waste properly is important to protect the environment and to prevent expired medications from falling into the wrong hands. Facilities that dispense medications must have a comprehensive medication disposal handling, storage and disposal policy that is clearly communicated to all personnel. Easy to use drug disposal products …

What Are the Effects of Pharmaceutical Waste on the Environment?

What Are the Effects of Pharmaceutical Waste on the Environment? July 10, 2023 | Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Pharmaceutical Waste and the Impacts on the Environment Pharmaceutical waste can have various negative effects on ecosystems when it is not properly managed. The effects of pharmaceutical waste on the environment have been …

Drug Diversion Training and Best Practice Prescribing of Controlled Substances

Drug diversion in healthcare is a huge problem in the United States with an estimated one in 10 healthcare workers addicted to or abusing drugs. Drug diversion is a threat to the safety of patients, for hospital staff and facilities facing fines and serious penalties. A comprehensive Controlled Substances Diversion …

Registrant Disclosure of Loss Diversion or Destruction of Controlled Substances

What should a facility do when they discover controlled substances are lost or missing? Drug diversion in healthcare is a serious problem contributing to the opioid epidemic in the United States. Is critical that all facilities follow meticulous procedures to account for all medications, especially controlled substances. Registrants who notice …

Nursing Home Witness Signing for Destruction of Controlled Substances

Nursing homes, long-term care facilities and hospitals are the largest generators of pharmaceutical waste in the United States, generating more than 84,000 tons of medication waste each year, according to an article in Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare. Disposing of pharmaceutical waste and nursing homes can be complex and confusing …

Public Health Centers in Need of Pharmaceutical Disposal Methods

Public health facilities like homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and crisis facilities are faced with particular challenges regarding the management and proper disposal of unused and expired pharmaceuticals. Many people that come to these public health centers are in need of healthcare and are currently taking or should be taking …

21 CFR 1308 – Drug Diversion & The DEA

Managing pharmaceutical waste in health care facilities and any organization which manages medications such as correctional facilities, must carefully regulate the control and disposal of pharmaceutical waste.  Facilities must meet updated Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, regulations which amend the Controlled Substances Act, as well as Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, requirements …

What Regulations Govern Medication Waste in Dentistry?

Many dentists will agree that one of the most challenging things for them to keep up with is maintaining full compliance to all regulations regarding the medication waste in dentistry.  Dental offices and oral surgeons need to use a variety of medications in the course of their treatments such as …

Rx Destroyer™ Offers a Drug Mail Back Program

C2R Global Manufacturing, Inc. focuses on meeting the needs of our customers with a drug mail back disposal program that is easy to use and compliant to federal regulations. Our wide selection of drug disposal containers are available for controlled and non-controlled medications. Rx Destroyer can handle both solid and …

Controlled Substance Destruction Matters: Here’s Why

When disposing of or destroying unused controlled substances, the method of controlled substance destruction matters for a couple of especially important reasons. Prior to regulations issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, flushing unused or expired medications down the drain was a typical practice …

Why Do We Care About Pharmaceutical Waste Compliance?

  There are many reasons why everyone should be concerned about pharmaceutical waste and compliance to safe disposal practices. Improper disposal of pharmaceutical waste causes serious contamination to the environment primarily showing up in water supplies.  With the current opioid epidemic in the United States, improper disposal of controlled substances …

Proud to Participate in the ONDCP Drug Disposal Conference

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) works to reduce drug use, abuse, and the consequences associated with drug diversion as part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The ONDCP is tasked with leading, coordinating, developing, implementing, and assessing the U.S. drug policy.  The …

Turnkey Solutions for Compliant Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal

It is now more important than ever before for hospitals and all healthcare facilities to follow a strict medication waste disposal policy compliant to all federal regulations. There are hefty fines facing hospitals and healthcare facilities that violate DEA Code of Federal Regulations, CFR 21 as outlined in SUBCHAPTER I, …

Best Practices for Medical Waste Segregation Management Part IV: Conclusion

While every healthcare facility recognizes the importance of medical waste segregation and proper disposal, the challenges facing busy or understaffed healthcare facilities allow for unsafe, noncompliant practices to continue.  Prior to the most recent DEA Code of Federal Regulations, CFR 21 effective September of 2014, and the EPA 40 CFR …

Best Practices for Medical Waste Segregation Management Part III: Challenges

All healthcare facilities must have optimal policies and procedures in place for the effective segregation and disposal of medical waste.  There are many contributing factors that make safe and compliant medical waste disposal a challenge in busy, healthcare facilities. Due to the enormity and the plethora of medical waste generated …

Best Practices for Medical Waste Segregation Management Part II: Methodology

There are many large healthcare systems with robust waste management programs across the United States.  Individual facilities may have different pharmaceutical waste disposal practices for various types of medical waste due to unique facility policies, procedures, and state regulations.  Regardless of facility or state regulations, it is helpful to segregate …

Best Practices for Medical Waste Segregation Management: Introduction

Medical waste disposal practices are regulated by the federal government under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Medical waste disposal regulations may vary from state to state although they must be at least as stringent as federal regulations. Additionally, each healthcare institution may institute their …

Controlled Substance Disposal Policy and Procedures

Controlled Substance Disposal Policy and Procedures An effective controlled substance disposal policy is mandatory to protect healthcare workers, patients and medical facilities. Healthcare workers are at an increased risk for drug diversion, a serious epidemic in the United States. Drug diversion in hospitals and healthcare facilities puts patients at risk …