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[VIDEO] Stericycle’s Mail Back and Take Back Solutions Keep Businesses and Communities Safe





Stericycle’s Mail Back and Take Back Solutions Keep Businesses and Communities Safe 


Stericycle’s turnkey programs support pharmacies in convenient and compliant disposal of sharps used in vaccinations and injectable medications, as well as offer pharmacy customers a safe method for disposing expired or leftover prescription medications. 


Company Background 

For 30 years, Stericycle has delivered innovative medical waste solutions that protect patients and healthcare workers, promote community health, and preserve the environment. To meet the needs of pharmacies, they offer simple, convenient, and compliant waste disposal options. Whether it’s the safe disposal of contaminated needles, eco-conscious disposal of medications, or the segregation and disposal of hazardous waste from retail pharmacies, Stericycle has the tools to enable reliable waste management. When pharmacies use their products, they can ensure they meet regulatory requirements while reducing the risk of staff injury, mitigating the threat of drug diversion, and preventing hazardous materials from harming the environment and community. 

Product Overview 

Facilitating Safer Vaccination Programs 

Pharmacies are taking the lead in improving the health and wellness of their communities with immunization programs. Not only do these programs benefit patients, they support revenue growth. The global vaccination market is almost $40 billion and is projected to grow to $50 billion in the next five years. Since sharps are still the primary method of vaccination for 10 out of 11 recommended adult vaccines, a robust immunization program can lead to an overabundance of contaminated sharps. Without a plan to safely dispose of these items, a pharmacy can run the risk of OSHA and other compliance violations. This is where Stericycle comes in. Stericycle serves as a reliable partner in a pharmacy’s immunization strategy – their convenient sharps mail back solution and container design keeps facilities compliant while limiting the likelihood of needlestick injuries. The program includes all materials required for proper shipping and documentation. Containers accommodate various types of sharps, including needles, lancets, and syringes. Prepaid shipping boxes and return labels are USPS-compliant and are serialized for easy tracking and proof of waste destruction. Regular reporting lets pharmacies monitor disposal status. Plus, a pharmacy only pays for the waste it generates, allowing flexibility depending on the season and the natural fluctuations involved in vaccinations. 

Helping to Curb the Opioid Crisis 

In addition to simplifying sharps disposal, Stericycle can also help pharmacy customers safely and anonymously dispose of unused or expired medications, including prescription painkillers and other dangerous drugs that serve as a gateway to opioid addiction. Oftentimes when patients don’t know where and how to dispose of these leftover medications, they hold on to them, flush them down the toilet, or throw them in the regular trash. This increases the risk that someone will steal the drugs for personal use or that hazardous chemicals will leach into the environment, including a community’s drinking water. Stericycle’s kiosks and Seal&SendSM envelopes ensure proper unused medication disposal. Not only can these solutions keep patients and their loved ones safe, they can mitigate some of the risks fueling the opioid crisis. 

Award-Winning Pharmaceutical Collection Kiosks 

When pharmacies place a Stericycle Collection Kiosk at a key point in their facility, patients simply drop their leftover medications in the kiosk, which securely holds the drugs and prevents further access. Once the kiosk is full, a light notifies pharmacy staff that the container is ready for disposal. The kiosks follow ADA recommendations for disabled customers and are also DEA and DOT compliant. Stericycle supplies documentation, so the pharmacy can demonstrate compliance. 

Seal&SendSM Controlled Substance Envelopes 

Stericycle’s Seal&Send program allows consumers to directly mail unused medications for secure destruction via incineration using prepaid envelopes. This solution can be especially valuable if patients live in rural communities or are homebound and unable to make regular trips to the pharmacy. DEA registration is not necessary to distribute these envelopes. Pharmacies can provide them to patients when they fill their prescriptions. Each prepaid envelope holds up to eight ounces of consumer medication, and there are simple instructions in English and Spanish of how to use and mail back the envelope. 

Stericycle – A Key Partner in Helping the Community 

Stericycle’s suite of Retail Hazardous Waste Services delivers industry leading expertise designed specifically to help retailers reduce risk of noncompliance and protect the trusted role in the community they serve. Recognizing that pharmacies are leaders in community health through, for example, vaccination programs and providing opportunities to safely return unused medications. Stericycle services and products support pharmacies in their community stewardship, providing compliant, easy-to-use waste solutions that keep patients, staff, and the environment safe.





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This post is related to:

Returns & Waste Services (Pharmaceutical/Medical)