Department of Health Services Logo

 

Wisconsin Department of Health Services

If You Have Complaints about Wisconsin Health Care

Information about Division of Quality Assurance (DQA)

DQA Web Pages Information

Provider Types Regulated by DQA

DQA Listservs

Consumer Information

Provider Search

DQA Facility Directories

DQA Provider Training

DQA Numbered Memos

DHS Forms

Construction/
Remodeling of Health Care Facilities

WI Nurse Aide Training and Registry Info

Caregiver Program/ Background Checks

WI Adult Programs Caregiver Misconduct Registry

Medication Waste and Collection Programs

PDF Version of DQA 08-003 (PDF, 22 KB) 

Date: March 4, 2008 -- DQA Memo 08-003
To: Adult Family Homes AFH 02
Community Based Residential Facilities CBRF 02
Hospices HSPC 02
Nursing Homes NH 03
Residential Care Apartment Complexes RCAC 02
From: Otis Woods, Administrator
Division of Quality Assurance

Medication Waste and Collection Programs

The Division of Quality Assurance previously distributed two memos (06-022 and 07-008) providing information about options for removing unwanted medications from facilities. Household waste collection events, such as those held by county Clean Sweep programs, have generated questions from facilities about participating in these programs.

Clean Sweep programs are generally intended for household hazardous waste, though certain businesses may also take hazardous waste to these collection sites. Some facilities are considered to be households and may, therefore, participate. Other facilities are classified as businesses, and their medication waste is not considered household waste. 

Facilities classified as businesses may still be able to participate in some household medication waste collection programs if they pay a specified fee and show that they generate low volumes of hazardous waste. A business should contact the collection program to determine their eligibility.

Attached is a document developed jointly by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Quality Assurance. The document is intended to help facilities determine if they are considered a household or business for the purposes of potentially participating in Clean Sweep medication waste collection programs. 

Facilities wishing to participate in medication collection events are advised to contact the organizers of the event to make arrangements to handle the collection.

If you have any further questions, please contact Doug Englebert at 608 266-5388.

Attachment: Pharmaceutical waste at non-hospital healthcarefacilities

 

PDF: The free Acrobat Reader® software is needed to view and print portable document format (PDF) files. Learn more.