Pharmaceutical Waste: Publications and Resources

DNR Publications About Pharmaceuticals

Several DNR publications address pharmaceutical disposal. Under the Waste and Material Management program's searchable guidance, click on the words "Keyword search" at the top, then choose the keyword "pharmaceuticals" and then click on "Find".

See also DNR publications under the category (or keyword) "medical waste" for how to manage medical sharps.

More Information About Pharmaceuticals

General information about pharmaceuticals can be found at:

• Wisconsin's Cancer Drug Repository [exit DNR]
• The Federal Department of Transportation [exit DNR]
• The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration [exit DNR]
• World Health Organization (WHO) [exit DNR] guidelines for donating drugs
• Wisconsin Antibiotic Resistance Network (WARN) Web site about antibiotic resistant strains [exit DNR]
• The Maine Benzodiazepine Study Group [exit DNR] Click on "Presentations and Resources"
• Informinc.org [exit DNR] Information about chemicals found in cleaning products
• USGS Emerging Contaminants Study [exit DNR]
• EPA Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) as Environmental Pollutants [exit DNR]

Technical Assistance

Web sites that provide information and guidance for managing pharmaceutical waste include:

• Hospitals for a Healthy Environment [exit DNR] (H2E).
• EPAs Healthcare Environmental Resource Center [exit DNR]
• EPA Compliance page for Pharmaceuticals [exit DNR]
• Wisconsin's Department of Health and Family Services guidance for managing pharmaceutical waste in nursing homes [exit DNR] and assisted living facilities [exit DNR].
• Minnesota Technical Assistance Program [exit DNR] (MnTAP). Please note that Minnesota's requirements differ from Wisconsin's. For example, Minnesota has a special hazardous waste category called "Minnesota Lethal" which does not appear in Wisconsin regulations. However, you may wish to be proactive and manage wastes that are "Minnesota Lethal" as hazardous waste anyway.
• EPA's Understanding the Hazardous Waste Rules: Guidance for Hospital Environmental Health & Safety Professionals [exit DNR]
• EPA Region 2's Common Violations and Problems Found at Hospitals [exit DNR]
• NIOSH Hazardous Drug Alert [exit DNR] See Appendix A
• ASHP Guidance on Handling Hazardous Drugs [exit DNR] Search for "handling hazardous drugs"
• OSHA Technical Manual "Controlling Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Drugs" [exit DNR]
• Illinois - Indiana Sea Grant "Proper Disposal of Unwanted Medications" [exit DNR]

Organizations that can provide live technical assistance for managing pharmaceutical waste include:

• DNR staff can assist with regulatory questions.
• The University of Wisconsin Extension Solid and Hazardous Waste Educations Center [exit DNR] (SHWEC). SHWEC staff can assist you by telephone or through on-site technical consultations.
• Waste companies and consultants also offer technical assistance regarding wastes they manage.