Option 1: Manage under special requirements
Pharmaceutical waste
Your facility can choose to manage your dangerous waste pharmaceuticals under the special requirements for management of dangerous waste pharmaceuticals (WAC 173-303-555).
Follow the steps outlined on the pharmaceutical waste webpage or in the Dangerous Waste Pharmaceuticals Guide.
Nonpharmaceutical waste
The benefit to managing pharmaceutical waste under Option 1 is that nonpharmaceutical waste is the ONLY waste count used to determine your generator category.
- Generator category determines how you manage nonpharmaceutical waste.
- Learn more about dangerous waste basics.
Option 2: Manage ALL waste as a small quantity generator
If you are eligible for this option, your facility can choose to manage BOTH pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical waste under small quantity generator requirements (WAC 173-303-170(2)(a)(1) and -171).
If you choose this option:
- Your dangerous waste pharmaceuticals count toward your generator category.
- You may send potentially creditable dangerous waste pharmaceuticals to a reverse distributor.
- You may consolidate dangerous waste pharmaceuticals to another health care facility as long as it meets certain conditions. (See WAC 173-303-555(5)(b) or the Dangerous Waste Pharmaceuticals Guide)
- You may manage controlled substances under the conditional exclusion in WAC 173-303-555(7).