There will be occasions when a practice wishes to destroy Schedule 2 Controlled Drugs. There are two clear categories of such, patient returns and practice’s own unissued stock. Such drugs should be destroyed or denatured to the extent that they cannot be recovered, retrieved and re-used; and may then be disposed of as normal pharmaceutical waste.
Schedule2 Controlled Drugs, which have to be recorded in a register by law, which are the practice's unissued stock cannot be destroyed without an approved outside witness.
There are many protocols relating to the safe and proper disposal of controlled drugs. The latest Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s protocol states:
“Following advice from a company dealing with pharmaceutical waste, the advice to use bleach when denaturing Controlled Drugs has now been revised. It is now recommended that hot, soapy water is used when destroying solid dose and parenteral formulations. Problems can arise if bleach is used in pharmaceutical waste as residual bleach mixes with chemicals used to clear bins if they are to be recycled and toxic fumes can be produced as a result.
Liquid dose formulations Liquid dose formulations should be added to, and absorbed by, an appropriate amount of cat litter, or similar product.
Solid dose formulations Solid dose formulations should be crushed and placed into a small amount of hot, soapy water. The resultant mixture should be stirred to ensure that the drug has been dissolved or dispersed. (The same procedure can be followed for powders).
Parenteral formulations Ampoules should be crushed with a pestle inside an empty plastic container. After ensuring that all ampoules are broken, a small quantity of hot, soapy water or cat litter should be added.
Fentanyl patches The active ingredient in fentanyl patches can be rendered irretrievable by removing the backing and folding the patch over upon itself.
Once the above procedure has been carried out, the resultant mixture should be added to the general pharmaceutical waste. It is advisable, therefore, to keep the liquid content to a minimum.”
(Pharmaceutical Journal 3.6.2000)
Controlled Drugs Destruction Can be ordered via Surelines Pharmaceutical Services - please contact them for details.