Recycling Vials?

[njac]

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So how do people dispose of their vials? I assume they're recyclable and tear off the labels and put them out with my recycling but what else can be done?

Personally, I call in my Rxs so I wouldn't be able to hand them the bottle and have them refill it, although that might be best...

 

[RxWildcat]

I recycle stock bottles at my pharmacy, not the rx vials though.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

So how do people dispose of their vials? I assume they're recyclable and tear off the labels and put them out with my recycling but what else can be done?

Personally, I call in my Rxs so I wouldn't be able to hand them the bottle and have them refill it, although that might be best...

You mean have them place the refill caps/tabs into the same vial and re-use it? Not allowed 😀

In any case, we used to just toss the vials patients brought in for refills (after ripping off the label). So you're probably better off recycling it yourself? Curious to see what other pharmacies do.

 

[collegegirl247]

we have a patient that comes in and asks us to recycle her bottles...but we can't (they have already had her drugs in them) so we just toss them...but we dont tell her that! lol

 

[Old Timer]

CVS has the bottles and all PHI shredded......

 

[njac]

You mean have them place the refill caps/tabs into the same vial and re-use it? Not allowed 😀

In any case, we used to just toss the vials patients brought in for refills (after ripping off the label). So you're probably better off recycling it yourself? Curious to see what other pharmacies do.

and why can't they reuse the vials?

 

[collegegirl247]

and why can't they reuse the vials?

safety reasons most likely- allergies??

or maybe its to expensive or they are just to lazy!

 

[PharmDstudent]

and why can't they reuse the vials?

SDN1977 wrote about that a while back. She said something like, pharmacists have to guarantee the purity of the product before giving it to patients.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

and why can't they reuse the vials?

It's prohibited by Consumer Product Safety...based on the wear the plastic vial is expected to get. You wouldn't be able to ensure that it would work properly (especially the cap).

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

SDN1977 wrote about that a while back. She said something like, pharmacists have to guarantee the purity of the product before giving it to patients.

I can see how adulteration would come into the legal argument too.

 

[njac]

even if it's my own vial? and the pharmacists know I'm a pharmacy student?

I cleaned my bathroom today and came up with 9 empty vials!

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

even if it's my own vial? and the pharmacists know I'm a pharmacy student?

I cleaned my bathroom today and came up with 9 empty vials!

Well, some states flat out have statutes that forbid it (I remember coming across some that blatantly say no re-use). But as far as federal standards with Consumer Product Safety and Poison Prevention...the pharmacist has to have confidence that the container will meet safety requirements (let alone that it's clean, etc.). If the vial manufacturer doesn't ensure that the container will hold up for re-use, I can't see why a pharmacist would use their professional judgment to guarantee otherwise.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Well, some states flat out have statutes that forbid it (I remember coming across some that blatantly say no re-use). But as far as federal standards with Consumer Product Safety and Poison Prevention...the pharmacist has to have confidence that the container will meet safety requirements (let alone that it's clean, etc.). If the vial manufacturer doesn't ensure that the container will hold up for re-use, I can't see why a pharmacist would use their professional judgment to guarantee otherwise.

That's so strange. (I know you didn't make the rules!)

I don't see how that's a relevant issue anymore, because 90+ day supply scripts are so common now, plus the insurance companies like to play hardball when it comes to day supply. For example, if a baby gets 1ml from a 120ml bottle QD, are we suppose to reissue the bottle three months down the road?

 

[pinkyrx]

CVS has the bottles and all PHI shredded......

They shred the vials too? THat's some shredder!👍

 

[RxWildcat]

KY has a law that you can't re-use the vials, although I know of a certain independent that re-uses them all the time.

 

[UBCmicrobi]

We recycle our vials, after ripping off the label. We have a few patients bring in old vials to be recycled, but we try and remind them they can just put them in their recycling bins at home after ripping off the label. We try and recycle as much as we can!

 

[All4MyDaughter]

KY has a law that you can't re-use the vials, although I know of a certain independent that re-uses them all the time.

I'm not sure that the business you've been running out of the trunk of your car REALLY qualifies as "independent pharmacy."

 

[RxWildcat]

 

[JerryPharmD]

In Arizona we can legally re-use the vials as long as a new cap is used each time, though no one does. (At least that's what the law professor said and he seemed to know his stuff)

 

[collegegirl247]

when you think of it though...I guess re-using vials could be just as dangerous as counting different pills all on the same counting tray!

 

[PharmDstudent]

when you think of it though...I guess re-using vials could be just as dangerous as counting different pills all on the same counting tray!

...unless someone stores something besides medicine in their vial.

 

[NaOH]

Two necrothreads in a week? This could become a bad habit... anyway.

Anyone have experience with recycling stock bottles? Was looking at work last night, and the large majority seem to be #2/HDPE so I don't think there'd be an issue from a compatibility standpoint, but I wonder about tablet dust, liquid remaining in the bottom, etc. Although, I suppose right now we're just tossing them into the trash, so... considering we generate several bags full of discarded containers every day, it'd be nice to keep some of that out of the landfill.

 

[joetrisman]

Two necrothreads in a week? This could become a bad habit... anyway.

Anyone have experience with recycling stock bottles? Was looking at work last night, and the large majority seem to be #2/HDPE so I don't think there'd be an issue from a compatibility standpoint, but I wonder about tablet dust, liquid remaining in the bottom, etc. Although, I suppose right now we're just tossing them into the trash, so... considering we generate several bags full of discarded containers every day, it'd be nice to keep some of that out of the landfill.

I thought about writing some cute tree-hugger article for student pharmacist or the like concerning this subject as I've yet to step foot in a pharmacy that doesn't have their trash cans pouring over with empty stock bottles that could be recycled. But then my two week break from school was over and with it any delusions of grandeur and writing...

 

[NaOH]

I thought about writing some cute tree-hugger article for student pharmacist or the like concerning this subject as I've yet to step foot in a pharmacy that doesn't have their trash cans pouring over with empty stock bottles that could be recycled. But then my two week break from school was over and with it any delusions of grandeur and writing...

I haven't had the idealism beat out of me yet.

 

[joetrisman]

I haven't had the idealism beat out of me yet.

I'll be second author 😉

 

[Busta919]

The melting point of HDPE is in the area of 266F. Processing of HDPE in blow molding, the way that bottles are formed, is around 380F. I don't believe this would be sufficient to pyrolyze remaining drug particles, although they may be heat labile.
I am sure the FDA has a food grade requirement for polyethylene for use in drug containers, so at best, the HDPE will be made into plastic garbage bags or some other PCR implement.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I thought about writing some cute tree-hugger article for student pharmacist or the like concerning this subject as I've yet to step foot in a pharmacy that doesn't have their trash cans pouring over with empty stock bottles that could be recycled. But then my two week break from school was over and with it any delusions of grandeur and writing...

Write it for SDN. We pay $ for articles.

 

[amox]

All stock bottles are recycled (not the caps), and our vials we dispense to patients can be recycled. It's a pain pulling off the labels, so I try to inform each patient to remove labels prior to recycling them with us.

When we recycle bottles and caps, we return to the mfg, who then remelts them to be reformed.

This is the company we purchase Tri-Maxx from http://www.provial.com/infotrimaxx.php

 

[zelman]

In Arizona we can legally re-use the vials as long as a new cap is used each time, though no one does. (At least that's what the law professor said and he seemed to know his stuff)

Identical law in Massachusetts

 

[owlegrad]

This would make a cool article for SDN, like A4MD said. Interesting stuff.

 

[NaOH]

Hmm.

 

[owlegrad]

Hmm.

Do it! 😉

 

[njac]

I want a cut! This was my idea years and years ago!

 

[owlegrad]

So we are going to have some sort of four way here?

 

[Farmercyst]

So we are going to have some sort of four way here?

Crowded

 

[All4MyDaughter]

So we are going to have some sort of four way here?

I might be too old for that much excitement.

 

[NaOH]

😳

 

[ChicagoPharmD]

We recycle stock bottles, paper that doesn't have pt-sensitive info on it, and bottles pt return to us (after removing the label). It's quite easy, really. No reason not to!!!