FAQs

When pharmaceuticals are flushed down the drain, the chemical components can leech into waterways, potentially contaminating local flora and fauna as well as ground-based water supplies.

Chemical compounds found in pharmaceuticals have the potential to damage local environments when not properly disposed of. By safely denaturing the potentially harmful chemicals found in certain pharmaceuticals, Secure a Drug helps to ensure that those chemicals do not pollute environments either through disposal down a drain into local waterways or through exposure in a landfill.

No. The containers are engineered and tested for stability on flat surfaces provided the container is located in a secure location.

Yes. Secure a Sharp containers can utlilize a purpose-designed wall bracket for compatible wall mounting.

The container should remain in the “closed” position throughout multi-use. The lid should transition to “locked” when the contents reach the fill line, and the container is considered full.

Secure a Sharp is available in to sizes: 2 quart or 1 gallon. Please choose the appropriate container size based on your disposal needs.

Containers are full once sharps contents reach the fill line indicated on the rear container label.

Yes. Secure a Sharp is designed for multiple uses. Continue to add sharps until contents reach the fill line.

Secure a Sharp is specifically designed for the safe disposal of sharps and infectious waste. Do not place hazardous waste, pharmaceutical waste, free liquid, or heavy metal objects inside the container.

For more information on pharmaceutical disposal, please see our Secure A Drug range.

For state specific regulations, please click here.

Yes. The Secure a Sharp is specifically designed for safe disposal of sharps and infections waste.

Yes. Both our 2-quart and 1-gallon Secure a Sharp containers have ISO 23907-1 certification.

Yes. Both our 2-quart and 1-gallon Secure a Sharp containers are considered a Class II Medical Device and therefore meet the required FDA QS Regulations 21 CFR Part 820.

Please contact us at hello@secureasharp.com for customer support.

All containers must be sent back using the pre-paid shipping carton as outlined in your supplied instruction card. For state specific allowable waste storage timeframes, please click here.

After placing your order, you will receive an email confirmation, followed by shipping and tracking information.

Secure a Sharp containers will be shipped directly to you via USPS. Once the containers are full of sharps, they are to be disposed of in a medical waste box, tote, or bin for collection by Daniels Health or an alternative waste vendor.

Yes. The DEA has expanded their acceptable methods of destruction for controlled substances as long as they meet the requirements of destruction. The controlled substance is officially “destroyed” when placed into the Secure a Drug container because it is rendered non-retrievable. For expired/unused controlled substances in inventory, the customer will need to follow specific DEA requirements for destruction. Requirements vary by state.

Daniels Health has utilized an independent source to test a representative sample of controlled substances. The results demonstrated 99.99% deactivation after 24 hours.

Secure a Drug containers are processed at a local Daniels Health facility or incinerated in accordance with appropriate state and federal regulations.

No. Secure a Drug will not render a pharmaceutical to be non-RCRA hazardous. Secure a Drug does not change the hazardous characteristics of RCRA substances. A “corrosive” waste is still hazardous if placed into Secure a Drug and needs to be treated accordingly.

Secure a Drug does not meet EPA standards for hazardous waste disposal (i.e., the waste is still considered RCRA hazardous). However, it can still be used as a means to render RCRA hazardous waste non-retrievable assuming that the user is properly disposing of the full Secure a Drug container as RCRA hazardous pharmaceutical waste with its unique hazardous waste profile.

Examples include:

• Chloral Hyrdrate
• Fentanyl Sublingual Spray
• Phenobarbital
• Testosterone Gels / Solutions
• Valium Injectables / Gels

Disposal requirements for controlled substances are regulated by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and laid out in Title 21 Part 1317 of the US Code of Federal Regulations. This law provides explicit provisions depending on whether the disposer is a DEA registrant or non-registrant as well as destruction requirements and procedures for transferring controlled substances. While there is no requirement for a specific method of destruction, the law clarifies that all controlled substances must be rendered non-retrievable in order to prevent diversion of substances to illicit activity

According to 21 CFR 1300.05, “A controlled substance is considered “non-retrievable” when it cannot be transformed to a physical or chemical condition or state as a controlled substance or controlled substance analogue. The purpose of destruction is to render the controlled substance(s) to a non-retrievable state and thus prevent diversion of any such substance to illicit purposes.”

The DEA does not endorse or support any product, but instead requires that a product used to destroy controlled substances meets the definition of “non-retrievable.” Secure A Drug does meet this definition, in that it permanently alters the substance’s physical or chemical condition or state through irreversible means and thereby renders the substance unusable for all practical purposes, and it cannot be transformed to a physical or chemical condition or state as a controlled substance or controlled substance analogue.

For expired/unused controlled substances, the registrant will need to complete a disposal log (DEA Form 41 – instructions here) and maintain that record onsite for at least two years. A copy of the DEA Form 41 can be found here. The registrant would complete a new form for each new Secure A Drug container. Official destruction of the drug occurs when it is wasted into the Secure A Drug because Secure A Drug renders the medication non-retrievable.

Yes. Secure a Drug can utilize a wall bracket mounting device. The standard “Static Lock Bracket” is static, not allowing for container agitation while mounted.

Once contents reach the fill line, shift the lid into the locked position and remove your container for final disposal. Your full Secure a Drug container can be placed into your non-hazardous pharmaceutical bins if you are not disposing of any hazardous controlled substances.

If you are disposing of any RCRA hazardous controlled substances, the full Secure a Drug containers will need to be treated as RCRA waste under the waste code 0115.

Yes. Medications in the form of pills, patches, liquids, and lozenges will dissolve in Secure a Drug. Please note that the outer capsule shell or patch material may remain intact, but the drug itself will be nonretrievable.

Yes. Secure a Drug was designed for multiple uses. Continue to add medications until contents reach 2” from the top of the container.

Secure a Drug utilizes an activated carbon solution to render controlled substances non-retrievable. Fresh containers are placed in a locked bracket. Simply unlock the bracket and unscrew the lid, place drugs into the container, close the lid and gently shake the container. Once the substances are denatured and non-retrievable, the entire container can be picked up by your waste disposal partner and disposed of in compliance with state and federal regulations.

Containers are full once the contents reach the top of the container label. When full, replace the lid and turn to the “locked” position. Full Secure a Drug containers can be placed into appropriate pharmaceutical waste collectors consistent with waste management practices of the generator.

Yes. Medications in the form of pills, patches, liquids, and lozenges will dissolve in Secure a Drug. Please note that the outer capsule shell or patch material may remain intact, but the drug itself will be non-retrievable.

The shelf life of a Secure a Drug container is two years from its date of manufacture and one year from the date that the first controlled substance is placed into the container.

Yes. A vent is incorporated in the Secure a Drug lid with a permeable film covering the opening on the inside of the cap. This allows sufficient venting when the lid is sealed.

No. Secure a Drug does not contain a specific ipecac substance, but the activated carbon can induce vomiting.

There is no solidifier in the product.

• Loose sharps
• Infectious waste
• Effervescent medications (e.g., antacids)
• Medication Vials
• Schedule I controlled substances

The top of the Secure a Drug label serves as the Fill Line.

Yes. Secure a Drug can utilize a wall bracket mounting device. The standard “Static Lock Bracket” is static, not allowing for container agitation while mounted. Additionally Daniels has a very limited quantity of Premium Locking Wall Brackets that allow for agitation of the container without removing from the mount.

The “Swing Key Bracket” allows for agitation of the activated carbon solution without removing the container from the bracket. Limited quantities of the Swing Key Lock Bracket exist; supply subject to availability or demand. The “Static Lock Wall Bracket” requires container removal for agitation.

No. The containers are engineered to safely stand on flat surfaces provided container is in a secure location

$0.02 based upon standard pricing

In most instances you must purchase a case of containers; however, the 18L product comes as a single container option only.

Yes. Minimum Order = 1 Case unless you purchase an 18L container, which comes as a single container option only.

Customers are free to purchase a sample case without any further commitment to using Secure a Drug.

Secure a Drug complements healthcare waste programs by ensuring that controlled substances are appropriately disposed of per US DEA requirements (see compliance FAQs for more info). Secure a Drug can be integrated into existing waste programs with ease since they are designed to be placed into compliant pharmaceutical waste containers when they are full. As a supplemental container designed specifically for drug denaturing, it reduces compliance risks and drug diversion risks.

Although there is a cost associated with Secure a Drug containers, proper implementation and usage of Secure a Drug significantly reduces the risk of fines associated with non-compliance with federal and state regulations. Additionally, Secure a Drug provides numerous labor- and time-saving benefits thanks to its ease-of-use and convenient placement within work areas. Secure a Drug also makes it easier for facilities to align on proper waste segregation, particularly when it comes to RCRA hazardous waste. Secure a Drug makes it easier to avoid the additional costs that come with “over-classification” of waste as RCRA hazardous by allowing for segregation of hazardous and non-hazardous controlled substances.

There is minimal training needed to install and use Secure a Drug. Thanks to its simple design, all you need to do is unlock the bracket, unscrew the lid, place drugs into the container, close the lid, and gently shake the container.

Adsorption or irretrievability time varies depending on many factors including environment, drug type and quantity. For this reason, we recommend keeping Secure a Drug containers that are in use in a controlled and secure location. Testing has proven (at least > 98 %, typically > 99.7 %) adsorbed within the first 24 hours.

Yes. However, it is important to note that Schedule I controlled substances (with the exception of Marijuana) have no legal intended medical purpose and proper protocols should be taken if collected.

Secure a Drug was created to deactivate organic medication including opioids. It will not absorb any metals, such as iron and lithium contained in certain medications. DO NOT add antacid or gassing medications.

Secure a Drug does NOT replace witness wasting of controlled substances. You must still continue to witness waste these medications.

Secure a Drug utilizes activated carbon to denature unused controlled substances. Carbon is noncorrosive and non-toxic to the skin and eyes.