Under the disposal rule, where can community pharmacies maintain receptacles for disposal?

• A. In any public area
• B. At long term care facilities they service
• C. In the main headquarters
• D. In hospital pharmacies only

Answer: (B)

Disposal receptacles should be located at the sites where medications are actually collected and managed for disposal. For community pharmacies, that means placing them at the long-term care facilities you service. This setup supports secure, traceable disposal since residents and facility staff can drop off unwanted medications in a controlled location, and the pharmacy can arrange destruction through a DEA-registered reverse distributor. It also helps maintain the chain of custody and reduces diversion risk. Putting receptacles in public areas would be insecure and invite misuses, and using only the main headquarters or restricting to hospital pharmacies would not align with the typical workflow of serving LTC facilities.