Search

EPA to Delay RCRA Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Rule

Posted on 8/11/2016 by Roger Marks

Sources are reporting that US EPA’s new management standards for pharmacies, hospitals, and other sites that generate hazardous waste pharmaceuticals will not be published in October 2016, as originally expected.

According to an update from the Healthcare Environmental Resource Center, EPA will not publish its Final Rule for hazardous waste pharmaceuticals, proposed in September 2015, until it can adequately address the comments received in response to the proposal and the complex policy issues those comments raised.

Proposed alongside EPA’s Generator Improvements Rule in 2015, the Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Proposed Rule included updates that would change the way healthcare facilities identify and count the hazardous waste they generate, train their personnel, return unused pharmaceuticals to a vendor or manufacturer for credit, and more. In addition, the rule would explicitly prohibit drain disposal of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).  

See a full breakdown of EPA’s proposed Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals here.

Hazardous waste pharmaceuticals regulated under RCRA

Free On-Demand: Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals

Shortly after EPA proposed the new hazardous waste pharmaceuticals standards, Lion presented a free webinar to help healthcare facilities prepare for the changes under the new rule. A link to the Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals presentation is available on Lion.com.

Next Week: RCRA Refresher Training Webinar

Need RCRA hazardous waste training now? On August 16, the live, one-day RCRA refresher webinar will help you meet EPA’s training requirement for hazardous waste personnel at 40 CFR 262.34(a) and 265.16 and get you up to speed on the latest RCRA rules you need to know. Effective hazardous waste training is crucial to keep your site safe, keep drums and other containers in compliance, and meet your RCRA reporting and recordkeeping responsibilities. Plus, EPA raised the fines for RCRA noncompliance last month—mistakes could now cost you up to $70,117 per day, per violation. 

Sign up now!


Tags: EPA, hazardous waste, new rules, RCRA

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

The exercises in the DOT hazardous materials management course are especially helpful in evaluating your understanding of course information.

Morgan Bliss

Principal Industrial Hygienist

I can't say enough how pleased I was with this course! Everything finally makes sense.

Kim Graham

Lab Manager

I had a positive experience utilizing this educational program. It was very informative, convenient, and rewarding from a career perspective.

John Gratacos

Logistics Manager

Well designed and thorough program. Excellent summary of requirements with references. Inclusion of regulations in hard copy form, as well as full electronic with state pertinent regulations included is a great bonus!

Oscar Fisher

EHS Manager

My experience with Lion classes has always been good. Lion Technology always covers the EPA requirements I must follow.

Steven Erlandson

Environmental Coordinator

I really enjoyed this training. Even after years on both sides of the comprehension coin, I find myself still learning! The quality of the delivery exceeded much of the training I have received in the past.

Neil Ozonur

Safety Officer

Very witty instructor, made the long times sitting bearable. One of the few training courses I can say I actually enjoyed.

John Hutchinson

Senior EHS Engineer

You blew the doors off the competition!

Stephen Bieschke

Facilities Manager

I will never go anywhere, but to Lion Technology.

Dawn Swofford

EHS Technician

More thorough than a class I attended last year through another company.

Troy Yonkers

HSES Representative

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Get to know the top 5 changes to OSHA’s revised GHS Hazard Communication Standard at 29 CFR 1910.1200 and how the updates impacts employee safety at your facility.

Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.