Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at Health Care Facilities, 54627 [2010-22325]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 8, 2010 / Notices Dated: September 1, 2010. John Moses, Director, Collections Strategies Division. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Responses to Agency Clearance Requests [FR Doc. 2010–22326 Filed 9–7–10; 8:45 am] OMB Approvals BILLING CODE 6560–50–P EPA ICR Number 1696.06; Fuels and Fuel Additives: Health-Effects Research Requirements for Manufacturers; 40 CFR part 79, subpart F; was approved on 08/05/2010; OMB Number 2060– 0297; expires on 08/31/2013; Approved without change. EPA ICR Number 2366.02; Stormwater Management Including Discharges From Developed Sites Questionnaires (Revision); was approved on 08/06/2010; OMB Number 2040–0282; expires on 08/31/2013; Approved with change. EPA ICR Number 2228.03; Reformulated Gasoline Commingling Provisions; 40 CFR 80.78; was approved on 08/13/2010; OMB Number 2060– 0587; expires on 08/31/2013; Approved without change. EPA ICR Number 2322.01; Critical Public Information Needs during Drinking Water Emergencies (New); was approved on 08/16/2010; OMB Number 2080–0079; expires on 08/31/2013; Approved without change. EPA ICR Number 2243.06; Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Assessing the Environmental Effects Abroad of EPA Actions (Renewal); 40 CFR 6.301; was approved on 08/18/ 2010; OMB Number 2020–0033; expires on 08/31/2013; Approved without change. EPA ICR Number 1058.10; NSPS for Incinerators; 40 CFR part 60, subparts A and E; was approved on 08/20/2010; OMB Number 2060–0040; expires on 08/31/2013; Approved without change. EPA ICR Number 1975.07; NESHAP for Stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines; 40 CFR part 63, subparts A and ZZZZ; was approved on 08/23/2010; OMB Number 2060–0548; expires on 08/31/2013; Approved with change. EPA ICR Number 2173.04; EPA’s Green Power Partnership and Combined Heat and Power Partnership (Change); was approved on 08/26/2010; OMB Number 2060–0578; expires on 06/30/ 2012; Approved with change. jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES Comment Filed EPA ICR Number 2203.03; Amendments to the Protocol Gas Verification Program, and Minimum Competency Requirements for Air Emission Testing; in 40 CFR parts 72 and 75; OMB filed comment on 08/20/ 2010. VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:41 Sep 07, 2010 Jkt 220001 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL–9197–7] Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at Health Care Facilities Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: EPA is requesting public comments on a draft guidance document entitled, Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at Health Care Facilities. The guidance is targeted at hospitals, medical clinics, doctors’ offices, long-term care facilities and veterinary facilities. EPA expects that this document will help reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals that are discharged to water bodies. DATES: EPA requests comments on or before November 8, 2010. Comments received after this date may not be incorporated into the final guidance document. SUMMARY: EPA prefers receiving comments by e-mail. Please send e-mail comments to unusedpharms@epa.gov and include your name and organizational affiliation, if any. You may also send comments by postal mail to Meghan Hessenauer, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303T), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Meghan Hessenauer, Engineering and Analysis Division, telephone: 202–566– 1040; e-mail: hessenauer.meghan@epa.gov. ADDRESSES: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pharmaceuticals are being discovered in our Nation’s waters at very low concentrations. EPA has been studying unused pharmaceutical disposal practices at health care facilities, prompted by the concern that large amounts of pharmaceuticals are being flushed or disposed of down the drain, ultimately ending up in rivers, streams and coastal waters. The Agency has drafted a guidance document for health care facilities, which describes: • Techniques for reducing or avoiding pharmaceutical waste; PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 54627 • Practices for identifying and managing types of unused pharmaceuticals; and • Applicable disposal regulations. The guidance is targeted at hospitals, medical clinics, doctors’ offices, longterm care facilities and veterinary facilities. EPA expects that this document will help reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals that are discharged to water bodies. The document is available on EPA’s Web site at https://water.epa.gov/scitech/ wastetech/guide/ unusedpharms_index.cfm. EPA has visited many facilities and consulted with organizations in the health care industry, as well as federal, state and local government agencies. EPA continues to solicit recommendations from a wide range of stakeholders and welcomes comments on the draft document. We plan to publish a final version of the document in late 2010. Dated: September 1, 2010. Ephraim S. King, Director, Office of Science and Technology. [FR Doc. 2010–22325 Filed 9–7–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL–9198–4; Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD– 2008–0663] ICLUS v1.3 User’s Manual: ArcGIS Tools and Datasets for Modeling U.S. Housing Density Growth Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of a final Geographic Information System (GIS) tool and final user’s guide titled, ‘‘ICLUS v1.3 User’s Manual: ArcGIS Tools and Datasets for Modeling U.S. Housing Density Growth’’ (EPA/600/R–09/143F). The tool and its documentation were prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA’s Office of Research and Development. The GIS tool can be used to modify land use scenarios for the conterminous United States. ICLUS stands for Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios, a project which is described in the 2009 EPA Report, ‘‘Land-Use Scenarios: National-Scale Housing-Density Scenarios Consistent with Climate Change Storylines.’’ These scenarios are broadly consistent with global-scale, peer-reviewed storylines of population SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\08SEN1.SGM 08SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 8, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 54627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-22325]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9197-7]


Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at Health 
Care Facilities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: EPA is requesting public comments on a draft guidance document 
entitled, Best Management Practices for Unused Pharmaceuticals at 
Health Care Facilities. The guidance is targeted at hospitals, medical 
clinics, doctors' offices, long-term care facilities and veterinary 
facilities. EPA expects that this document will help reduce the amount 
of pharmaceuticals that are discharged to water bodies.

DATES: EPA requests comments on or before November 8, 2010. Comments 
received after this date may not be incorporated into the final 
guidance document.

ADDRESSES: EPA prefers receiving comments by e-mail. Please send e-mail 
comments to unusedpharms@epa.gov and include your name and 
organizational affiliation, if any. You may also send comments by 
postal mail to Meghan Hessenauer, Engineering and Analysis Division 
(4303T), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Meghan Hessenauer, Engineering and 
Analysis Division, telephone: 202-566-1040; e-mail: 
hessenauer.meghan@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pharmaceuticals are being discovered in our 
Nation's waters at very low concentrations. EPA has been studying 
unused pharmaceutical disposal practices at health care facilities, 
prompted by the concern that large amounts of pharmaceuticals are being 
flushed or disposed of down the drain, ultimately ending up in rivers, 
streams and coastal waters.
    The Agency has drafted a guidance document for health care 
facilities, which describes:
     Techniques for reducing or avoiding pharmaceutical waste;
     Practices for identifying and managing types of unused 
pharmaceuticals; and
     Applicable disposal regulations.
    The guidance is targeted at hospitals, medical clinics, doctors' 
offices, long-term care facilities and veterinary facilities. EPA 
expects that this document will help reduce the amount of 
pharmaceuticals that are discharged to water bodies.
    The document is available on EPA's Web site at https://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/unusedpharms_index.cfm.
    EPA has visited many facilities and consulted with organizations in 
the health care industry, as well as federal, state and local 
government agencies. EPA continues to solicit recommendations from a 
wide range of stakeholders and welcomes comments on the draft document. 
We plan to publish a final version of the document in late 2010.

    Dated: September 1, 2010.
Ephraim S. King,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2010-22325 Filed 9-7-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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