Packaging waste

Pharmaceutical packaging represents a very small percentage of

waste, but its disposal can cause problems for the environment. For

this reason, the Committee, at its thirty-second meeting (1), decided

that:

. . . Provisions should be made for the proper and safe storage of waste

materials awaiting disposal. Toxic substances and flammable materials

should be stored in suitably designed, separated, enclosed cupboards, as

required by national legislation.

. . . Waste material should not be allowed to accumulate. It should be

collected in suitable receptacles for removal to collection points outside the

buildings and disposed of safely and in a sanitary manner at regular and

frequent intervals.

Environmental problems result from the methods used for waste

disposal, and will depend on the type of packaging waste concerned.

Such waste may include:

— uncontaminated waste (assimilated to domestic waste: paper,

cardboard, glass, plastic);

— contaminated waste (paper, cardboard, glass, plastic), e.g. waste

that has been in contact with blood, blood-derived products,

radioactive products or cytotoxic products.

The method of disposal will therefore vary but should always be in

accordance with national legislation. Contaminated packaging is

often incinerated. For more plz read at following paper.

Regards

Dear Prof. Aldallal,

Thank you  for your valuable resource. However, most of the developed countries including Nepal lacking national legislation on this aspect where we sell lot of plastic and glass bottles to the patients during dispensing of medicines. Further, patients were unaware about the disposal of primary pharmaceutical  packaging materials. In this scenario, how we will generate evidence   on necessities of legislation on proper management of such materials.