Pharmaceutical waste codes

For health care facilities in Washington, most pharmaceutical wastes designate as dangerous waste. Waste designation is the responsibility of the generating facility. We cannot designate generator wastes.

This page provides a list of common pharmaceuticals and their waste codes, but is not exhaustive. Waste codes for dangerous waste pharmaceuticals include:

P and U waste codes: P-listed, U-listed wastes
D waste codes: Characteristic for ignitable, toxic, corrosive, reactive
W waste codes: State-only waste codes

The term “dangerous waste” includes both federal hazardous waste and Washington state-only dangerous waste.

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P- and U-listed wastes

Waste codes that begin with "P" or "U" are for discarded chemical products — unused, commercial products that become waste and contain only one active ingredient.

P codes: Used for acutely hazardous "P-listed" chemicals. These chemicals are highly toxic and stringently regulated.
U codes: Used for "U-listed" chemicals.

See the full list of P- and U-listed chemicals in the regulation (WAC 173-303-9903).

P-listed
U-listed

Waste code	Sole active ingredient	Product name
P001	Warfarin and salts (concentration greater than 0.3%)	Coumadin Warfarin
P012	Arsenic trioxide	Trisenox
P042	Epinephrine	Adrenalin Anaphalaxis kit Epifrin Epinal Epinephrine (inhalants, injectibles, kits) Epinephrine hydrochloride EpiPen Eppy/N Primatine aerosol inhaler Racepinephrine Racord
P046	Phentermine	Phentermine (CIV)
P075	Nicotine and salts	Nicotine e-cigarettes Nicotine vape juice
P188	Physostigmine salicylate	Eserine salicylate
P204	Physostigmine	Eserine

Waste code	Sole active ingredient	Product name
U010	Mitomycin C	Mitomycin Mitomycin Mutamycin C Mutamycin VHA Plus
U015	Azaserine	Chemotherapy for leukemia
U034	Chloral or chloral hydrate	Chloral hydrate (CIV)
U035	Chlorambucil	Leukeran
U044	Chloroform (not commonly seen)	Chloroform
U058	Cyclophosphamide	Cytoxan injection Cytoxan Lyophilized Neosar Procytox VHA Plus
U059	Daunomycin	Cerubidin Daunomycin Daunorubicin DaunoXome Liposomal Daunorubicin Rubidomycin
U089	Diethylstilbesterol	DES (synthetic estrogen) Diethylstibestrol Stilphostrol
U129	Lindane	Lice shampoo and spray
U132	Hexachlorophene	Acigena Almederm Exofene Phisohex disinfectant Septisol
U150	Melphalan	Alkeran L-PAM Melphalan
U151	Mercury	Mercurochrome Mercury chloride Mercury idodide Mercury sulfate
U182	Paraldehyde	Paral Paraldehyde (CIV)
U187	Phenacetin	Acetophenetidin (typically veterinary)
U188	Phenol	Liquified phenol Phenol
U200	Reserpine	Reserpine
U201	Resorcinol	Resorcinol
U205	Selenium sulfide	Exsel shampoo Selenium sulfide Selsun
U206	Streptozotocin	Streptozotocin Streptozocin Zanosar
U237	Uracil mustard (not commonly seen)	Uracil mustard Uramustine
U248	Warfarin and salts (concentration less than or equal to 0.3%)	Warfarin

Characteristic waste codes

Waste codes that begin with "D" are for characteristic wastes.

This list identifies dangerous waste characteristics from WAC 173-303-090.

Waste code	Characteristic	Waste description or name	Examples
D001	Ignitable	Aqueous drug formulation containing 24% or more alcohol by volume.	Erythromycin gel (2%) Taxol injection Texacort solution (1%)
D001	Ignitable	Liquid drug formulations, with a flashpoint of less than 140° F or 60° C, except aqueous solutions containing less than 24% alcohol.	Flexible collodion (Flashpoint of 45° C)
D001	Ignitable	Oxidizers or materials that readily supply oxygen to a reaction in the absence of air as defined by the Department of Transportation (DOT).	Amyl nitrite inhalers Silver nitrate applicators
D001	Ignitable	Flammable aerosol propellants meeting the DOT definition of compressed gas.	Primatene aerosol

Waste code	Characteristic	Waste description or name	Examples
D004	Toxic	Arsenic	Any P012-listed waste Arsenic trioxide Carbasone Glycobiarosol Thiacetarsamide
D005	Toxic	Barium	Barium chloride Barium hydroxide Barium sulfate (used in radiology) Barium sulfide
D007	Toxic	Chromium	Chromium Chromium trioxide Multiple mineral preparations Multiple trace elements (also designates as D010)
D009	Toxic	Mercury	Any drug with thimerosal or phenylmercuric acetate (vaccines, eye drops, nasal spray, etc.) Any U151-listed waste
D010	Toxic	Selenium	Any U205-listed waste Dandruff shampoo Multiple mineral preparations
D011	Toxic	Silver	Argyrol S.S. Arzol silver nitrate (also designates as D001) Silvadene Silver nitrate (also designates as D001) Silver sulfadiazine cream
D013	Toxic	Lindane	Treatment of lice or scabies
D022	Toxic	Chloroform	Not commonly seen
D024	Toxic	M-cresol	Insulin with cresol

Waste code	Characteristic	Waste description or name	Examples
D002	Corrosive	Most corrosive waste will be compounding chemicals.	Any solution with pH: Greater than or equal to 12.5. Less than or equal to 2.
D003	Reactive	Unstable under "normal" conditions. These wastes can cause explosions, toxic fumes, gases, or vapors when heated, compressed, or mixed with water.	Possibly nitroglycerin¹

Waste code

Characteristic

Waste description or name

Examples

D002

Corrosive

Most corrosive waste will be compounding chemicals.

Any solution with pH:

Greater than or equal to 12.5.
Less than or equal to 2.

D003

Reactive

Unstable under "normal" conditions. These wastes can cause explosions, toxic fumes, gases, or vapors when heated, compressed, or mixed with water.

Possibly nitroglycerin¹

¹While nitroglycerin is the only pharmaceutical we are aware of that may be considered reactive, most medical formulations of nitroglycerin are not reactive. Those formulations that are not reactive are not considered P-listed wastes.

State-only waste codes

Washington state-only waste codes start with a “W.” Many pharmaceuticals in Washington designate for state-only:

Toxicity (WT01 or WT02)
or
Persistence (WP01, WP02).

Product name	Waste code
Aspirin	WT02
Desflurane (anesthesia gas)	WP01
Dexbrompheniramine	WT02
Dimetapp (Bromotapp Solid)	WT02
Doxycycline hyclate (tetracycline derivative)	WT02
Elimite Dermal Cream 5% (Permethrin) for lice and scabies	WT02 WP01
Fentanyl	WT02
Griseofulvin tablets	WP01
Guaifenesin (Cough Syrup)	WT02
Halothane, U.S.P. (2-Bromo-2-Chloro-1,1,1-Trifluoroethane)	WP01
Ibuprofen	WT02
Imodium (Loperamide HCL)	WP02
Indomethacin capsule	WT02 WP01
Lidocaine	WT02
Metoclopramide (heartburn)	WP01
Nystatin cream	WP02
Phenylephrine HCL	WT02
Sevoflurane	WP01
Skin refrigerant (dichlorotetrafluoroethane)	WP01
Triamcinolone Acetonide (cream for psoriasis)	WT02 WP02
Tylenol	WT02
Vancomycin (antibiotic)	WP01
Vancomycin Hydrochloride (Injection)	WP01

Contact information

Lisa Perle
Southwest Region
lisa.perle@ecy.wa.gov
360-407-7553

Jenny Yoo
Northwest Region
jenny.yoo@ecy.wa.gov
206-594-0043

Eric McConnell
Eastern Region
eric.mcconnell@ecy.wa.gov
509-329-3449

Katherine Gauthier
Central Region
katherine.gauthier@ecy.wa.gov
509-575-2477

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