Pharmaceutical waste refers to any waste containing medicinal drugs that have expired, remained unused, become contaminated, damaged, or are no longer required.
Blue Pharmaceutical Waste Bins
For non-hazardous pharmaceutical products and items tainted with non-hazardous medicines:
The blue waste stream is designated for disposal of pharmaceutical products that are not cytotoxic or cytostatic.
The blue pharmaceutical waste bins should be dispatched for incineration at a duly authorised facility. Containers with blue lids are meant for any waste containing non-hazardous medicinal drugs that are expired, unused, contaminated, damaged, denatured, or no longer required.
Purple Pharmaceutical Waste Bins
For dangerous medicinal products and items tainted with non-dangerous medicines.
The violet waste stream is designated for any waste tainted by hazardous cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines (e.g. chemotherapy drugs and contraceptives).
The violet pharmaceutical waste bins must be dispatched for incineration at temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius at a duly authorised facility. Sharps units with violet lids are intended for sharps used in the administration of, or contaminated by, hazardous cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines. Containers with violet lids are for any non-sharp waste tainted with cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines, or hazardous drugs in their original packaging or blister packs, or rendered inactive.
Denaturing kits
Denaturing kits serve the purpose of safely disposing of expired medications.
After utilisation, these kits can be discarded into designated colour-coded receptacles: blue pharmaceutical waste bins for denatured non-hazardous medicines and purple pharmaceutical waste bins for denatured hazardous medicines.
