The US Environmental Protection Agency Focus on Compliant Pharmaceutical Waste Management Now Includes Long-term Care

The article provides a summary of changes in the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulation of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals as they pertain to both long-term care-provider pharmacies and longterm care facilities. The article describes the EPA's Final Rule: Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals and Amendment to the P075 Listing for Nicotine, which became effective in some states on August 22, 2019, and is slowly being adopted by states nationwide. The new rule applies to all health care settings, including provider pharmacies and, for the first time, specifically refers to long-term care facilities as regulated entities. A major benefit of the Final Rule is the removal of over-the-counter nicotine gums, lozenges, and patches from regulation as a P-listed hazardous waste, which previously has had a major negative impact on the hazardous waste generation status of health care facilities. Waste-generation parameters are provided to enable both provider pharmacies and consultant pharmacists to evaluate their specific practices to determine applicability. The biggest change is the removal of all hazardous waste pharmaceuticals from the future calculation of generator status, thereby enabling facilities to meet the requirements of Very Small Quantity Generators or Small Quantity Generators of hazardous waste. All Small Quantity and Large Quantity Generators of hazardous waste must notify their state of their generator status once the state adopts the Final Rule by completing Form 8700-12. This article provides a variety of references to provide The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists members with additional resources and information.