An upcoming U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule to add pharmaceutical wastes to the federal universal waste program will likely provide “welcomed relief to the industry,” said Elise Paeffgen, attorney in Alston & Bird’s Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Group.
“At least a handful of states treat some pharmaceuticals as hazardous waste at retail sites, even when those unused pharmaceuticals are sent to a reverse distributor,” Paeffgen said. “This had led to significant state enforcement actions and is a different position than that taken by the EPA in guidance.”
“At least a handful of states treat some pharmaceuticals as hazardous waste at retail sites, even when those unused pharmaceuticals are sent to a reverse distributor,” Paeffgen said. “This had led to significant state enforcement actions and is a different position than that taken by the EPA in guidance.”