When medications expire or go unused, they don’t belong in the landfill. Protect people, the environment, and your business from improper pharmaceutical disposal.
Medical/pharmaceutical waste is any drug that is no longer needed. These could be unused, expired, or contaminated:
Because pharmaceutical waste has serious public health risks, it can only be handled, treated, and disposed of by certified biohazard waste removal companies.
Some of these medications (like opioids, stimulants, steroids, or combination drugs) are considered controlled substances. Medical/pharmaceutical waste is any drug that is no longer needed. These could be unused, expired, or contaminated:
If your healthcare setting produces pharmaceutical waste, Keystone can handle it safely and efficiently.
We can transport and treat these too!
Keystone accepts all three forms of Pharmaceutical Waste:
If you’re not sure how your pharma waste is classified, we can help you find the right disposal solution.
In the past, the FDA sometimes recommended flushing old medications. We now know how harmful that can be for the environment, so there are drug take-back programs for households and individuals. But if you’re operating a healthcare facility, a take-back program isn’t equipped to handle the quantity or type of medications you may need to discard. That leaves you with one option: careful and compliant disposal.
Even for so-called safe substances, improper medical pharmaceutical disposal can have serious consequences:
Medications poured down drains or tossed in regular trash can leach into soil and water. Antibiotics can be especially harmful to fish, wildlife, plant life, and people.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and state regulators prohibit improper disposal and may issue fines for violations.
Keeping a collection of expired drugs, partially-used prescriptions, or other unsecured medications runs the risk of misuse and accidents. These drugs could be improperly shared, used, or mixed with valid medications.
The way you handle pharmaceutical waste matters. Patients expect you to treat medical waste with discretion and privacy, and your community expects you to make environmentally mindful choices.
There’s no reason to risk your reputation, or the safety of your staff, patients, and community. That’s why Keystone always meets or exceeds all federal and state requirements for pharmaceutical management. Keystone processes and transport DEA-controlled substances and RCRA-classified hazardous drugs. We’d be happy to help you determine which materials fall into those categories and connect you with the right resources. We have developed a proprietary pharmaceutical disposal process to handle all of your drug disposal needs.
Our processes neutralize and treat pharmaceuticals through environmentally safe methods. We never participate in open incineration or corner-cutting.
Choose a pickup schedule that fits your needs or call for quick pickups. We’ll collect full containers, provide replacements, and keep your operations running smoothly.
We supply clearly labeled pharmaceutical containers for easy segregation from sharps, red bag, and other waste types. Every collection includes a manifest to keep you audit-ready.
We’re proud to use advanced treatment methods that are safer for your staff and the planet. Our technology neutralizes pathogens without harmful emissions for a cleaner, greener solution.
Just call us! You’ll talk to a real person who understands your business and can provide fast, clear answers.
Streamline your routine with safe, compliant, and eco-friendly pharmaceutical waste disposal—scheduled when it works best for you.
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