Pharmaceutical waste
According to the definition of WHO, pharmaceutical waste includes medicines that do not meet quality requirements or medical standards. These are expired, unused, spilled or contaminated pharmaceuticals and preparations in solid or liquid form, as well as narcotic drugs and unused vaccines.
Medicines that are not subject to further use include:
- poor-quality medicines, including those whose shelf life has expired;
- unregistered medicines, except for cases provided for by the current legislation of Ukraine;
- medicines that had physical, chemical, biological or mechanical damage;
- medicines with dangerous properties, side effects;
- counterfeit, fraudulent or low-quality products;
- waste from the manufacture and processing of pharmaceutical products.
According to the legislation, such medicines acquire the status of “waste” from the moment they are discovered. Independent processing of pharmaceutical waste and drugs is unacceptable, since these substances are toxic, pollute the soil, water and air, and pose a threat to human and animal health.
Major sources of pharmaceutical waste include pharmaceutical manufacturers, healthcare institutions, outpatient clinics, morgues, departments of morbid anatomy, medical laboratories, research institutes, preclinical and clinical research facilities, veterinary hospitals, blood transfusion centers, emergency and urgent medical services. Small sources of pharmaceutical waste include pharmacies, veterinary pharmacies, pharmaceutical distributors, sanatoriums, shelters for the elderly and disabled, cosmetic and dental offices, tattoo and acupuncture specialists.
UKRECOPROM LLC provides professional services for the collection, transportation and disposal of pharmaceutical waste throughout Ukraine. All pharmaceutical waste processing operations are accompanied by online broadcast and necessary documents.
