Pharmacies and Chemists

Navigating compliance pressures and environmental responsibility are major challenges for community pharmacies.  Our local experts provide a fully compliant clinical waste management service, including the disposal of clinical, sharps, and medicinal waste, providing a reliable service that keeps your pharmacy safe.

Our partnership begins with a detailed waste management assessment of your pharmacy, ensuring our service meets your operational needs. You'll receive proactive, on-site account management and the reliability of our ADR-licensed teams, who ensure all pharmaceutical and clinical waste is handled with total care. We take the burden of compliance off your shoulders by providing seamless documentation and expert support, leaving you free to focus on patient care with complete confidence. Our local healthcare waste collection services offer flexible scheduling.

Maintaining a compliant pharmacy is essential to upholding the highest safety standards for staff and customers, while protecting the business from legal and safety risks.

As a pharmacy, you must fulfill your legal ‘Duty of Care’ by ensuring all waste is correctly stored, handled, and transferred to an authorised carrier.  Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, your pharmacy has the legal responsibility for all waste produced, from the waste generation right through to disposal. Neglecting regulatory requirements could leave your pharmacy vulnerable to legal and financial consequences, damage your professional standing, and compromise the safety of your staff and patients.

Prioritising the highest standards of safety and risk management allows your pharmacy to achieve these key benefits:

• Streamlined Compliance: Fulfill your legal ‘Duty of Care’ under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and HTM 07-01 responsibilities, ensuring your pharmacy is always fully compliant and audit-ready.
• Risk Mitigation and Enhanced Safety: Safeguard your staff and customers from cross-contamination whilst upholding the highest safety standards in clinical governance.
• Enhanced Patient Trust: Demonstrating a strict commitment to safety builds confidence within your local community, protecting your pharmacy's professional reputation.
• Environmental Sustainability: Adhering strictly to correct waste segregation practices minimises your environmental impact and actively drives your pharmacy’s contribution to Net Zero goals.

Use this checklist to ensure your pharmacy meets UK waste regulations and remains fully prepared for compliance audits.

1. Follow the colour-code: Ensure correct waste segregation and storage to minimise infection risks, and meet NHS standards.
2. Waste Documentation: Maintain accurate, up-to-date Waste Transfer and Consignment Notes for all waste streams to satisfy legal ‘Duty of Care’ requirements.
3. Use a registered waste carrier: Only transfer waste to authorised carriers to meet legal obligations and avoid any liabilities.
4. Register a T28 exemption: Register with the Environment Agency to legally store and denature controlled drugs on-site, ensuring compliance with the Misuse of Drugs Regulations.

The T28 exemption is a crucial regulatory step required by the Environment Agency and last for 3 years. It allows authorised persons (like pharmacists) to legally store, sort, and denature waste controlled drugs produced on-site, which would otherwise require a full environmental permit.

1. Visit the official Gov.uk T28 Exemption page.
2. Select the 'Start now' button and follow the online guidance to check if you can use the T28 exemption.
3. Complete and submit the online application form with your details to register for the exemption.