Pharmaceutical waste disposal practices: a case study of an Australian public hospital pharmacy department

Background: In Queensland, each hospital and health service (local hospital network) has its own waste reduction and recycling plan to comply with the Queensland Government's Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 (Qld). The aim is to reduce both the hospital's carbon footprint and waste handling costs. Hospital environmental waste services staff do not audit pharmaceutical waste bins as this requires the presence of a registered pharmacist.Aim: Since previous published studies of healthcare waste disposal practices have not included pharmacy waste bin audits, this study aimed to investigate waste disposal behaviours in a hospital pharmacy department.Method: This sequential, two-phase mixed methods study was conducted in a metropolitan, tertiary public hospital's pharmacy department in Queensland. Phase I involved semi-structured interviews of hospital pharmacists and pharmacy technicians while Phase II comprised bin audits of the pharmacy department's waste streams. Results: The bin audits revealed 36.1%, 23.8%, and 4.9% of recyclable waste in the clinical waste stream for each of the three bin audits respectively. In the general waste stream, the two bin audits of this stream revealed 14.3% and 44.4%, respectively. The rea-sons were identified in the interviews: there were no recycling bins in the main dispensing areas and there was confusion surrounding correct disposal of original containers and non-contaminated packaging waste. Non-paper waste was found in the confidential (shredded) waste stream in the two bin audits of this stream (10.1% and 16.7%, respectively).Conclusion: Provision of commingled recycling bins and clean office paper waste bins in dispensing areas and education of staff on correct waste segregation processes will improve waste segregation in hospital pharmacy departments with both financial and envir-onmental benefits for the hospital and the general population.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate waste disposal behaviors in a hospital pharmacy department. Bin audits revealed recyclable waste percentages ranging from 4.9% to 36.1% in the clinical waste stream, and from 14.3% to 44.4% in the general waste stream. Lack of recycling bins in the main dispensing areas and confusion over the correct disposal of original containers and non-contaminated packaging waste were identified as reasons for poor waste segregation. Provision of commingled recycling bins and education on waste segregation processes can improve waste management in hospital pharmacy departments.