Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is announcing an extension to the comment period for the proposed rule on the management and disposal of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals published in the Federal Register on September 25, 2015. EPA is proposing new hazardous waste pharmaceutical regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to improve compliance and thereby enhance protection of human health and the environment. Specifically, EPA proposed to revise the regulations to improve the management and disposal of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals and tailor them to address the specific issues that hospitals, pharmacies and other healthcare-related facilities face. The revisions are also intended to clarify the regulation of the reverse distribution mechanism used by healthcare facilities for the management of unused and/or expired pharmaceuticals. The comment period is being extended to December 24, 2015.