Under Designated Materials Regulation 2008-54 of the Clean Environment Act, obligated pharmaceutical products and medical sharps are defined as follows:
“Medical sharp” means a needle, safety engineered needle, lancet or other similar instrument that is designed, for medical purposes, to puncture the skin of a consumer or their companion animal and includes anything affixed to the medical sharp, including a syringe.
“Pharmaceutical product” means a drug as defined in section 2 of the Food and Drugs Act (Canada) and a natural health product as defined in subsection 1(1) of the Natural Health Products Regulations made under that Act, but does not include:
(a) a food as defined in section 2 of the Food and Drugs Act (Canada),
(b) a cosmetic as defined in section 2 of the Food and Drugs Act (Canada),
(c) a drug that is a radiopharmaceutical as defined in Part C of the Food and Drug Regulations made under the Food and Drugs Act (Canada),
(d) a drug for veterinary use except a drug for veterinary use in a consumer’s companion animal,
(e) a topical substance that does not contain an antibiotic, antifungal or analgesic, or
(f) a drug that is represented as being solely for use as a disinfectant on hard non-porous surfaces.
On July 14, 2024, the Government of New Brunswick introduced Designated Materials Regulation 2024-37 under the Clean Environment Act, repealing the previous Regulation. Please note that brand owners shall remain bound by Regulation 2008-54 until December 31, 2025, as though that Regulation had not been repealed. For more information, please review Designated Materials Regulation 2024-37 or contact Recycle NB at info@recyclenb.com or 1-506-454-8473.