Why is Ecology making us implement such onerous and costly waste management?
Ecology’s technical assistance visits have shown that many patient care facilities are not in compliance with the Dangerous Waste Regulations. This Policy recognizes some unique challenges and conflicts in regulations surrounding pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical waste management. Patient-care facilities work with multiple regulatory agencies for the dispensing, storage, and disposal of pharmaceutical wastes. The intent of the Policy is to clarify how the Dangerous Waste Regulations interact with the requirements of the Washington State Board of Pharmacy and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (US DEA). Each facility may choose to implement different methods to meet the compliance requirements.