NARCSORB™

What is NARCSORB™?

NARCSORB™ is a powdered solidification product — a PETROSET® blend — developed for the safe disposal of narcotics, in cooperation with some of the leading medical institutions in the world.

When medications reach their expiration, they have to be treated in a manner that is safe for people and the environment. Current regulation does not mandate that commercially available medicines be treated as hazardous materials — yet many hospitals, pharmacies, and hospice care facilities are required to dispose of pharmaceuticals in a safe manner.

NARCSORB™ is designed to eliminate secondary health risks by first dissolving the drugs, then solidifying them in a compound that is ready for landfill disposal.

How does NARCSORB™ render controlled substances non-retrievable?

NARCSORB™ irreversibly solidifies most adulterating or denaturing agents through complex bonding mechanisms and ion-exchange reactions, ensuring controlled substances are rendered non-retrievable and no longer "present any potential for abuse", in accordance with 21 CFR Part 1308.23.

1. Dissolve — the drugs are first dissolved
2. Solidify — then solidified in a compound that is ready for landfill disposal
3. Dispose — controlled substances are denatured, solidified, and disposed of as non-hazardous waste

Once solidified, the narcotics are no longer a permeable or chemical-emitting mass. In other words, it cannot leach its way into ground water supply, nor can the narcotics be reused or farmed for illegal intent.

Technical specifications

Physical and chemical properties per the NARCSORB™ Safety Data Sheet (FTL-080-0010, Revision 3).

Why not drains, incineration, or over-packing?

Current disposal methods — dumping chemicals down drains, incineration, and over-packing for disposal as a hazardous substance — each carry secondary challenges, and in all three scenarios there is adverse risk to public health and safety.

• Drain disposal — pouring dissolved meds down a drain can introduce challenges for municipal water treatment systems that are not designed to extract chemicals; the narcotics end up released into water ways and the environment
• Incineration — poses significant off-gas and fly ash concerns over harmful toxin exposure for the people operating the furnace, as well as those living near the plant
• Over-packing — sealing the product in containers does nothing to treat the drugs; it only provides a vessel for disposal

Why manage controlled substances on-site?

Because NARCSORB™ allows for on-site management of controlled substances, there is no need for costly transfer of the liability to a third party contractor.

When used as part of a DEA-compliant program, NARCSORB™ allows for the safe, compliant, and cost-effective management of unused controlled substances — an economical alternative to costly collection, escorting, transportation and incineration. Controlled substances are simply denatured, solidified, and disposed of as non-hazardous waste.

Is NARCSORB™ hazardous to handle?

NARCSORB™ contains 1–6% crystalline silica (quartz), and its SDS carries the "Danger" signal word: breathing respirable crystalline silica dust can cause lung disease, including silicosis and lung cancer — do not breathe dust, avoid dust formation, and wear protective gloves, protective clothing, and eye/face protection. The SDS classifies it Carcinogenicity Category 1A with the hazard statement "May cause cancer."

• Not combustible or flammable (NFPA: Health 0 · Flammability 0 · Reactivity 0)
• Not regulated as dangerous goods for transport (DOT, IATA, IMDG)
• Material can be slippery when wet
• Store in a dry, cool, well-ventilated place with containers tightly closed; do not allow water to contact the product until time of use to preserve product utility
• Incompatible with hydrofluoric acid
• If the product becomes a waste, it does not meet the criteria of a hazardous waste as defined by the US EPA

Frequently asked questions