Stupid EPA regulatory nonsense strikes my profession.

[Hayabusa Rider]

For just about forever pharmacies have taken old empty prescription bottles for refills. We usually scan the bar code and the computer system brings up the info for processing. We then toss the old bottle and move on. It's a simple efficient system or was. Today I've learned ghats changing. Certain medications like warfarin cannot have their bottles disposed of per the usual and harmless way. In their infinite stupidity the EPA considers it hazmat along with things like paper towels or alcohol swabs used to clean the counter although there is zero evidence that these things are dangerous and the crap just begins there. We now have an expensive service which handles the disposal. So the complexity of the process is increased along with costs for no good reason. The only reason to do it is to avoid punishment. Oh don't drop a bottle of nail polish remover. That's a huge deal now with hazmat protocols out the butt.

I do not welcome our overlords.

 

[Genx87]

You are an educated evil rich person. Why do you hate America?

/sarcasm

 

[PottedMeat]

We now have an expensive service which handles the disposal. So the complexity of the process is increased along with costs for no good reason. The only reason to do it is to avoid punishment. Oh don't drop a bottle of nail polish remover. That's a huge deal now with hazmat protocols out the butt.

I do not welcome our overlords.

hey man, you're creating jobs! :awe:


so what do you do when you drop a bottle of acetone?

 

[Thump553]

On what do you base your learned claims that there are no hazardous substances in certain used Rx bottles? Do you think the EPA just made up this regulation willy nilly without any research? Do you think the industry didn't weigh in and make comments during the public comment period required before a regulation is enacted?

Please cite the regulation that holds a broken bottle of nail polish remover requires hazmat procedures.

Or did you have a fight with your wife last night and this is a convenient outlet to vent?

 

[William Gaatjes]

For just about forever pharmacies have taken old empty prescription bottles for refills. We usually scan the bar code and the computer system brings up the info for processing. We then toss the old bottle and move on. It's a simple efficient system or was. Today I've learned ghats changing. Certain medications like warfarin cannot have their bottles disposed of per the usual and harmless way. In their infinite stupidity the EPA considers it hazmat along with things like paper towels or alcohol swabs used to clean the counter although there is zero evidence that these things are dangerous and the crap just begins there. We now have an expensive service which handles the disposal. So the complexity of the process is increased along with costs for no good reason. The only reason to do it is to avoid punishment. Oh don't drop a bottle of nail polish remover. That's a huge deal now with hazmat protocols out the butt.

I do not welcome our overlords.

This makes me think of a certain XKCD cartoon. Where a flight passenger is not allowed to bring a water bottle inside the plane but is allowed to bring the laptop with Li-ion batteries and other equipment.

This is a prime example of what happens when governments and businesses are not negotiating over proper reasonable regulation. I can imagine that it is is wise to see empty medicine bottles as chemical waste because of what the bottle might have contained. But that is easily solved. Fill a dedicated container that can be locked and once a week or once in 2 weeks place the container outside and the bottles in the container are picked up, the container emptied and returned. Just as garbage is. It is low level chemical waste similar to batteries. Good for job creation (1 driver and 1 co-worker part time) and can be easily payed out of taxes.

 

[HumblePie]

http://xkcd.com/651/

 

[piasabird]

So what do you do with the bottles? Maybe they should back all their stuff in foil packs instead.

 

[uclaLabrat]

The biggest issue is the lack of understanding lawyers have for the laws they create. They don't have enough scientific input to make laws that are sensible. I see it all the time with state inspectors...I could have a bottle of something that could kill everyone in the room if it was knocked over, and they'll completely overlook it. However, if I have one innocuous can of ether that's a day past its expiration date, fines up the ass! They just don't have the knowledge to adequately police the issues efficiently, which is sad, given most of them are trained scientists. But they usually have orders from on high that are drilled into their heads to focus essentially on one issue.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Poor Thumper. You did ask for this.


The first page:

The first quarantine.

The trash bucket of $$$

Now maybe you think we did all this just for you, but then you would be rather egotistical wouldn't you? BTW while my company logo is hidden you can look up the site and see if it's BS. I dare you.

As far as the EPA knowing just how dangerous empty bottles and counter tops go.

Since the vast majority of bottles are disposed of by the patient you would think that they would have to isolate them as well. Dangerous is dangerous unless you know of some quirk of the universe that allows them to be only so in pharmacies and not in the home.

The answer is that there is no difference.

It seems we are being exposed to hazardous materials in the workplace. If it's so bad why aren't we filling prescriptions in clean rooms?

That's because they aren't dangerous to handle. Safe hazmat. Nice.


Oh there's the fact that patients are being exposed to hazardous materials. Why is your omniscient government protecting them from exposure?

Because it's not dangerous.

The answer is that poorly written regulations apply to things which are valid and those which are nonsense, much like your contention.

Let me guess, you are in favor of this same government running health care aren't you?

 

[Dman8777]

I heard somewhere a while back that a number of water supplies in the US were contaminated with certain types of commonly used prescription drugs. This might be part of an effort to alleviate those types of problems. I would guess that patients tossing the bottles and pills in the trash is 99% of the problem though...

 

[piasabird]

Arent some light bulbs that the government mandated to replace the $00.25 incandescent bulbs just as hazardous?

My take is that if an industry creates the hazard, the industry should be required to get rid of the waste! That should be part of doing business. How that affects the middleman or the retailer is another story. Often the retailer has to deal with it. Maybe you should just refuse to sell those drugs in the bottles. Why not tell the manufacturer they have to package them differently. You probably buy them in bulk.

People are probably flushing a lot of common drugs down the toilet. So what do you do with all your drugs that are out of date? I could see stores just throwing drugs away if they are out of date.

 

[William Gaatjes]

http://xkcd.com/651/

Yes this one.
Thank you very much.

:thumbsup:

 

[MotF Bane]

But this gives Stericycle a job, and bureaucrats more paper to push around!

 

[fskimospy]

Yeap, same government we want running health care. We want that because it's proven to do a much better job than private industry. Why do you ask?

 

[William Gaatjes]

The biggest issue is the lack of understanding lawyers have for the laws they create. They don't have enough scientific input to make laws that are sensible. I see it all the time with state inspectors...I could have a bottle of something that could kill everyone in the room if it was knocked over, and they'll completely overlook it. However, if I have one innocuous can of ether that's a day past its expiration date, fines up the ass! They just don't have the knowledge to adequately police the issues efficiently, which is sad, given most of them are trained scientists. But they usually have orders from on high that are drilled into their heads to focus essentially on one issue.

This indeed. I am wondering. How do you think we should solve this ?
This happens more or less in countries in the EU as well. The US is no different.

 

[William Gaatjes]

I heard somewhere a while back that a number of water supplies in the US were contaminated with certain types of commonly used prescription drugs. This might be part of an effort to alleviate those types of problems. I would guess that patients tossing the bottles and pills in the trash is 99% of the problem though...

IIRC, it also has to do with the urine and feces of humans containing medicine.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Yeap, same government we want running health care. We want that because it's proven to do a much better job than private industry. Why do you ask?

The question isn't if it's theoretically able to but rather if it is in fact able. Considering that it takes upwards of two weeks to reverse and correct an electronic billing glitch for Medicare D and 5 to 10 minutes via Medco. BTW, the feds contract out to Medco and other companies to handle claims. The could fix it, but are forbidden from doing so.

This is a government driven by regulation and punishment for violations however harmful they may prove. They can allow a person to not get access to the care they have simply by not giving the information. Care to explain why it takes two billing forms to give a flu shot? How about when a caregiver bills brushing teeth and cutting hair and giving a bath? Each requires individual paperwork.

Of course they'll fuck up everything else, but France get's health care right.

This ain't France, but then again this is your religion, examples of nonsense to the contrary. But that's your religion, and I try not argue with 6 day Creationists like yourself.

 

[fskimospy]

The question isn't if it's theoretically able to but rather if it is in fact able. Considering that it takes upwards of two weeks to reverse and correct an electronic billing glitch for Medicare D and 5 to 10 minutes via Medco. BTW, the feds contract out to Medco and other companies to handle claims. The could fix it, but are forbidden from doing so.

This is a government driven by regulation and punishment for violations however harmful they may prove. They can allow a person to not get access to the care they have simply by not giving the information. Care to explain why it takes two billing forms to give a flu shot? How about when a caregiver bills brushing teeth and cutting hair and giving a bath? Each requires individual paperwork.

Of course they'll fuck up everything else, but France get's health care right.

This ain't France, but then again this is your religion, examples of nonsense to the contrary. But that's your religion, and I try not argue with 6 day Creationists like yourself.

You clearly know nothing about France, because you could see examples similar to what you're complaining about in spades there. Then again, that might threaten your world view.

I like how the guy who is on the side of trying the system that works in every industrialized nation on earth is the guy infected by 'religion', while the guy furiously attempting to stop the implementation of proven, effective methods due to the nebulous concept that our government is bad is the voice of reason in your mind. Physician, heal thyself. (har!)

 

[woolfe9999]

The question isn't if it's theoretically able to but rather if it is in fact able. Considering that it takes upwards of two weeks to reverse and correct an electronic billing glitch for Medicare D and 5 to 10 minutes via Medco. BTW, the feds contract out to Medco and other companies to handle claims. The could fix it, but are forbidden from doing so.

This is a government driven by regulation and punishment for violations however harmful they may prove. They can allow a person to not get access to the care they have simply by not giving the information. Care to explain why it takes two billing forms to give a flu shot? How about when a caregiver bills brushing teeth and cutting hair and giving a bath? Each requires individual paperwork.

Of course they'll fuck up everything else, but France get's health care right.

This ain't France, but then again this is your religion, examples of nonsense to the contrary. But that's your religion, and I try not argue with 6 day Creationists like yourself.

Of course, American government is inherently incompetent and prone to fuck everything up unlike other governments. In fact, our government is so inherently bad that we haven't prospsered at all compared to other countries. The solution, since no others are mentioned here, is that government must do nothing.

More on the issue of pharmaceutical waste later once I've completed my online checking. It looks like there's a pending rule to greatly simplify it.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Of course, American government is inherently incompetent and prone to fuck everything up unlike other governments. In fact, our government is so inherently bad that we haven't prospsered at all compared to other countries. The solution, since no others are mentioned here, is that government must do nothing.

More on the issue of pharmaceutical waste later once I've completed my online checking. It looks like there's a pending rule to greatly simplify it.

What is needed is capable people who have the best interest for the country and it's citizens in the long run. And not the kind that think wars are needed because oil consumption will be tripled in 2 decades. No, capable people who see that the strength of the US that belongs in innovation and bringing that innovation in reality. Look at pre silicon valley. What i miss is people who make these kinds of phrases : "If we need oil or any kind of product we are going to create it our selfs". Manhattan projects for the peace is what is needed. It is also good for karma.

 

[IGBT]

epa is a roost for eco-KOOKS. And they make up their own rules and regulations. KOOKS making rules and regulations.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Of course, American government is inherently incompetent and prone to fuck everything up unlike other governments. In fact, our government is so inherently bad that we haven't prospsered at all compared to other countries. The solution, since no others are mentioned here, is that government must do nothing.

More on the issue of pharmaceutical waste later once I've completed my online checking. It looks like there's a pending rule to greatly simplify it.

You really are outside your area of expertise and knowledge. Now explain why an aids patient who has medicaid insurance but who's numbers change can and was denied coverage? Explain the onerous billing requirements? Why I have to say "sorry there was a communications glitch. Call back in a week or two"?

Your hyperbole is nonsense. There are more headaches caused by foolish regs than anything in the private sector, not that things do not need correction. I don't pretend to have knowledge sufficient to reorganize your field, nor do you for mine.

 

[fskimospy]

epa is a roost for eco-KOOKS. And they make up their own rules and regulations. KOOKS making rules and regulations.

Looks like we need some EPA work by wherever you live, there's definitely something in your water that's affected your brain.

 

[bfdd]

infohawk these are the kinds of things I am talking about

 

[sandorski]

I heard somewhere a while back that a number of water supplies in the US were contaminated with certain types of commonly used prescription drugs. This might be part of an effort to alleviate those types of problems. I would guess that patients tossing the bottles and pills in the trash is 99% of the problem though...

This is most likely the reason.