Guidelines for safe disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals in and after emergencies (WCC - ECHO - ICRC - IFRC - FIP - ISWA - MSF - UNHCR - Oxfam - PSF - UNICEF - UNDP - WHO/EDM, 1999, 36 p.): 1. Introduction: 1.7 Steps to be taken: Planning

Guidelines for safe disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals in and after emergencies (WCC - ECHO - ICRC - IFRC - FIP - ISWA - MSF - UNHCR - Oxfam - PSF - UNICEF - UNDP - WHO/EDM, 1999, 36 p.)

1. Introduction

1.7 Steps to be taken

		(introductory text...)
		Decision
		Approval
		Planning
		Forming work teams
		Health and safety of work teams
		Sorting
		Disposal
		Security

Planning

Planning, in terms of funding, necessary expertise, human resources, professional time, space, equipment, material and available disposal options will be required. This is essential before practical steps can be taken to start disposal. To obtain a rough estimate of the volume of materials to be sorted, it is recommended that measurements are made using a tape measure, and conversion from volume of material to weight is made using a density figure of 0.2 metric tons/cubic metre.