Today U.S. EPA finalized new hazardous waste regulations in its
final Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals
rule. In brief, the rule creates a new Subpart P to 40 Code of
Federal Regulations Part 266, which is specific to hazardous waste
pharmaceuticals. The rule applies to all "healthcare
facilities" (such as hospitals and retail pharmacies) and
"reverse distributors." The rule requires that all
healthcare facilities and reverse distributors manage hazardous
waste pharmaceuticals in accordance with the new subpart P
regulations. We are carefully reviewing the final rule and
implications to clients, as well as implications to state hazardous
waste requirements.
The final rule should be published
in the Federal Register in the coming weeks, and the final rule
will become effective at the federal level six months after
publication in the Federal Register.
