Reducing waste generation in pharmacies and biochemical laboratories: Professional duties and regulatory requirements

Abstract

The continuous generation of waste from pharmacies and biochemical laboratories-including hazardous chemicals, biological materials, and expired pharmaceuticals-represents a multifaceted global environmental health challenge. Inefficient management practices lead to soil and water contamination, disrupting ecosystems and threatening public safety. This abstract emphasizes the urgent need for a paradigm shift toward sustainable practices, integrating "green laboratory" medicine and circular economy principles. Professional duties for pharmacists and laboratory staff are centered on the waste management hierarchy, which prioritizes waste prevention and reduction at the source. In pharmacies, professional responsibility extends to rational dispensing, precise inventory management, and educating patients to prevent the improper disposal of unused drugs in household trash or sewage systems. In biochemical settings, this involves adopting green chemistry, optimizing experimental designs to reduce reagent consumption, and implementing innovative treatment technologies like microwave sterilization or plasma gasification. Regulatory compliance is a critical requirement, guided by frameworks such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and EU Directives that standardize the handling of hazardous materials. Effective management requires institutional commitment to staff training, the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), waste management plan and the implementation of robust take-back schemes. In conclusion, active collaboration between the scientific community and policymakers is essential to ensure that pharmaceutical progress does not compromise environmental integrity. These findings underline the relevance of exposure-based risk assessment for services and products of pharmacists and medical biochemists.