Guidance

Denaturing of controlled drugs

Regulatory position statement (RPS) that set out the requirements you need to meet to denature controlled drugs at a place other than the premises of production.

From:
Environment Agency
Published
27 March 2014

This publication was withdrawn on

This document is no longer current. We published a new version on 25 January 2021.

Applies to England

Documents

Denaturing of controlled drugs at a place other than the premises of production: RPS 004

PDF, 420 KB, 3 pages

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Details

The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 provide an exemption (T28) for the denaturing of controlled drugs at the premises of production.

However there is no exemption for the denaturing of controlled drugs (CDs) at a place other than a place of production. So the denaturing of waste CDs returned by patients or healthcare workers, or of drugs brought together at a collection point or denaturing sessions, are not covered by an exemption.

There is an over-riding public health requirement to ensure such drugs are made safe as soon as possible. The activity poses a low environmental risk as long as the requirements set out in this guidance are followed.

Published 27 March 2014