This work aimed to study the management of residues of a controlled prescription drug. Diazepam was the drug chosen for this study for its therapeutic importance and wide use, and for being a prescription drug controlled by the National Health Surveillance Agency - ANVISA. The generation of residues of Diazepam from manufacture to distribution as well as the management and final destination of these residues was observed. The study started in an average-size city in the state of Espírito Santo, called São Mateus. In Brazil, 27.6% of cities are medium-sized like São Mateus and count on the presence of a municipal health surveillance service linked to an environmental control service. The objectives of this qualitative study were to: identify the main types of residues of Diazepam; study the main causes for the generation of residues of Diazepam; study the main difficulties found in the management of solid residues by the different agents involved in this process; study the environmental/health legislation related to the subject as well as its application. The relationship between these activities and the organisms responsible for the inspection and control of these residues, mainly as refers to the enforcement of the existent regulations, were also subject of this study.
Residue; Drug; Diazepam; Public health; Regulatory agency; Environment
