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new management standards for pharmacies, hospitals, and other sites that generate hazardous waste pharmaceuticals will not be published in October 2016, as originally expected.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

Search for:

Compliance Topics

Compliance Archives

The instructor did an excellent job presenting a very dry subject; keeping everyone interested and making it enjoyable.

Marc Bugg

Hazardous Waste Professional

The instructor had knowledge of regulations and understanding of real-world situations. The presentation style was engaging and fostered a positive atmosphere for information sharing.

Linda Arlen

Safety & Environmental Compliance Officer

This training broke down the regulations in an easy-to-understand manner and made them less overwhelming. I now feel I have the knowledge to make more informed decisions.

Amanda Oswald

Shipping Professional

The instructor was very dedicated to providing a quality experience. She did her best to make sure students were really comprehending the information.

Stephanie Venn

Inventory Control Specialist

Course instructor was better prepared and presented better than other trainers. Course manual and references were easier to use as well.

Marty Brownfield

Hazardous Waste Professional

The course was very informative and presented in a way that was easily understood and remembered. I would recommend this course.

Jeffrey Tierno

Hazmat Shipping Professional

I have attended other training providers, but Lion is best. Lion is king of the hazmat jungle!!!

Henry Watkins

Hazardous Waste Technician

The instructor took a rather drab set of topics and brought them to life with realistic real-life examples.

Tom Berndt

HSE Coordinator

The training was impressive. I am not a fan of online training but this was put together very well. I would recommend Lion to others.

Donnie James

Quality Manager

Lion courses always set the bar for content, reference, and practical application. Membership and access to the experts is an added bonus.

John Brown, CSP

Director of Safety & Env Affairs

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Just starting out with shipping lithium batteries? The four fundamental concepts in this guide are the place to start.

Download

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.