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This Factsheet was developed to provide producers with the resources they need to address the issue of responsible disposal of unwanted livestock medicines and sharps. Responsible disposal of unwanted medicines and sharps is recommended in the Livestock Medicines Manuals¹ (including the Swine Medicines Manual²) and in Worksheet #6 of the Environmental Farm Plan³.

This Factsheet is complementary to Factsheet 05-053, Safe On-Farm Storage of Unwanted Medicines and Sharps. The charts on the back of these Factsheets are useful to you when they are displayed in a prominent location such as a bulletin board or refrigerator where medicines are kept (strip magnets with adhesive on one side can be placed on this side of the Factsheet). We recommend that you laminate this Factsheet to keep information from fading and to make it easier to keep clean.

This Factsheet will remind you and your staff about what to do with unwanted medicines and sharps after you have stored them safely. Write the contact information for commercial medical waste disposal companies and medical waste transportation companies on the lines provided at the bottom of this page.

For information on commercial medical waste disposal or transport companies, please contact your veterinarian or check the yellow pages under "courier services" and "disposal companies." Make sure the transport company has a Ministry of Environment Certificate of Approval allowing it to transport biomedical or hazardous waste. Also check what storage containers are acceptable for transport.

²The Swine Medicines Manual is available to those who take the Swine Medicines Course offered by Ontario Pork. For details about this program, phone: 1-877-ONT-PORK (668-7675) or see the Ontario Pork web site.

³For information about the Environmental Farm Plan, phone the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association at 519-826-4214 or see the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association web site.

How Unwanted Medicines and Sharps Can Affect Your Family, Employees and the Public

Disposal of unwanted medicines and sharps is not covered by provincial regulations. However, you are required to prevent environmental contamination:

"No person shall discharge into the natural environment any contaminant, and no person responsible for a source of contaminant shall permit the discharge into the natural environment of any contaminant from the source of contaminant, in an amount, concentration or level in excess of that prescribed by the regulations [Environmental Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.E.19, Part II, Section 6, Subsection (1)]. Exception: Subsection (1) does not apply to animal wastes disposed of in accordance with both normal farming practices and the regulations made under the Nutrient Management Act, 2002, c.4, s.62 (1)."

Table 1. Contact Information.

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