Flu vaccine, including unused or partial vials and syringes, should be disposed of in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. For the purposes of this webpage, the guidance provided is to address the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA) waste categorization requirement as it applies to flu vaccine waste. You should always check all applicable regulations, including your state and local regulations to ensure full compliance and / or please feel free to contact PharmEcology for additional information at info@pharmecology.com or by calling 877-247-7430.
Some of the flu vaccine products contain a preservative called thimerosal which is a mercury-based preservative which has been used for decades in the United States to prevent germ growth in multi-dose vials of vaccines. Under 40 CFR Part 261.24 if the waste contains one or more constituents at concentrations greater than those specified in the maximum concentration of contaminants for the toxicity characteristic, the waste is considered hazardous. The D009 toxicity characteristic applies for mercury-containing waste when the concentration exceeds the 0.2mg/L threshold (0.2 mg/L = 0.2 mcg/mL). Any flu vaccine containing thimerosal or for which thimerosal was used in the processing will also designate as a hazardous waste, D009.
The flu vaccine that we used is not hazardous. How do I dispose of it?
Flu vaccine waste that does not meet the definition of a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) may be disposed of with your other non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste, but you must consider your applicable state or local regulations. In addition, if a flu vaccine product contains live attenuated virus, such as FluMist, it should be disposed of as biohazardous. If you do not have a pharmaceutical waste procedure, please contact us for additional information.
The flu vaccine that we used is hazardous. How do I dispose of it?
If you have determined that your flu vaccine waste meets the definition of a hazardous waste, you must dispose of it as such. This includes appropriately segregating and managing it as a hazardous waste in your facility, usually in a black container. This does not mean placing it in a red sharps container, or another trash container. Please feel free to contact us if you need additional information.
How do we dispose of flu vaccine that is hazardous and also biohazardous?
In the rare instance that it is necessary to dispose of a full or partially used syringe with a needle containing a vaccine with thimerosal, the needle and syringe should be disposed of as dual hazardous and biohazardous waste. An unused vaccine in a vial cannot be both hazardous and biohazardous, as the thimerosal would kill the active virus.
Where may I find more information?
• For additional information on proper disposal of all pharmaceutical waste: please contact us at info@pharmecology.com or by calling 1-877-247-7430.
• For information on the flu, visit the CDC and FDA website using these URL’s
