Patient leaflet - PROPOFOL BIOQ 20 MG / ML (2%) EMULSION FOR INJECTION/INFUSION
Package leaflet: Information for the patient
propofol
Read all of this leaflet carefully before this medicine is given to you because it contains important information for you.
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– Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
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– If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or nurse.
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– This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
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– If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
What is in this leaflet
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1. What Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is and what it is used for
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2. What you need to know before Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is given to you
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3. How Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is given to you
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4. Possible side effects
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5. How to store Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml
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6. Contents of the pack and other information
1. what propofol bioq pharma 20 mg/ml is and what it is used for
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml belongs to a group of medicines called ‘general anaesthetics’. General anaesthetics are used to cause unconsciousness (sleep) so that surgical operations or other procedures can be performed. They can also be used to sedate you (so that you are sleepy but not completely asleep).
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml will be given to you as an injection by a doctor.
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is used to:
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– Induce and maintain general anaesthesia in adults and paediatric patients over 3 years of age
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– Sedate patients over 16 years of age receiving artificial respiration in intensive care
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– Sedate adults and paediatric patients over 3 years of age during diagnostic and surgical
procedures, alone or in combination with local or regional anaesthesia
2. what you need to know before propofol bioq pharma 20 mg/ml is given to you- if you are allergic to propofol or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
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– if you are allergic to peanut or soya. This is because Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml contains soya oil.
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– if you are 16 years of age or younger for sedation in intensive care.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or nurse before Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is given to you, especially:
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– if you have any other health problems, such as problems with your heart, breathing, kidneys or liver.
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– if your body has lost lots of water (you are hypovolaemic).
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– if you have ever had a fit or convulsion.
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– if you have ever been told that you have very high levels of fat in your blood. In these cases your doctor might have to determine your blood fat levels.
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– if you have had a head injury together with a high pressure in your head.
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– if you have a condition called hereditary predisposition to acute porphyria.
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– if you are elderly or debilitated, or severely overweight.
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– if you have a mitochondrial disease.
If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor or nurse before you are given Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml.
You will not be allowed to leave the hospital until you are fully awake. If you are able to go home shortly after receiving propofol, you should not go home unaccompanied.
Children and adolescents
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is not recommended in children under 3 years of age.
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml must not be used in patients of 16 years of age or younger for sedation for intensive care.
Other medicines and Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml
Tell your doctor if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
Take special care when taking/receiving the following medicines:
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– Certain premedication (your anaesthetist knows which medicines can be influenced)
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– Other anaesthetics (including general, local or volatile anaesthetics)
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– Painkillers (analgesics)
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– Strong painkillers (fentanyl or opioids)
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– Parasympatholytic agents (medicines used to treat e.g. painful cramps of organs, asthma or Parkinson's disease)
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– Benzodiazepines (medicines used to treat anxiety)
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– Suxamethonium (muscle relaxant)
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– Neostigmin (medicine used to treat a disease called myasthenia gravis)
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– Ciclosporin (medicine used to prevent transplant rejection)
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– Rifampicin (antibiotic)
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml with alcohol
When you are given propofol you should avoid drinking alcohol for at least 12 hours before and after administration of Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before you are given this medicine.
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml should not be given to pregnant women unless necessary.
You should not breast-feed while you are given propofol and breast milk must be discarded for
24 hours after receiving propofol.
Driving and using machines
After having Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml you may still feel sleepy for some time. Do not drive or use any tools or machines until you are sure the effects have worn off.
If you are able to go home shortly after having been given propofol, do not drive a car.
Ask your doctor when you can start doing these activities again and when you can go back to work.
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml contains soya oil and sodium
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml contains soya oil. If you are allergic to peanut or soya, do not use this medicine.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per 100 ml, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.
3. How Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is given to you
You will be given Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml by, or under the direct supervision of your anaesthetist or intensive care doctor. It will be given to you as an injection or infusion (drip) into a vein. This is usually in the back of your hand or in your forearm.
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– Your doctor will give you the injection using a needle or through a fine plastic tube called a ‘cannula’.
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– For maintenance of anaesthesia or sedation your medicine may be given as an intravenous infusion (drip) using an electric pump which automatically control the rate at which the infusion is given. This may be done if you are having a long operation or if you are in an intensive care unit.
The dose of Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml will vary depending on other medicines including premedication, your age, body weight and physical condition. The doctor will give you the correct dose to start and to sustain anaesthesia or to achieve the required level of sedation (sleepiness), by carefully watching your responses and vital signs (pulse, blood pressure, breathing etc.).
You may need several different medicines to keep you asleep or sleepy, free from pain, breathing in a healthy way and to keep your blood pressure steady. The doctor will decide which medicines you need and when you need them.
General anaesthesia
Adults
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– For induction of anaesthesia most adult patients aged less than 55 years are likely to require 1.5 to 2.5 mg propofol/kg body weight.
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– For maintenance of anaesthesia generally doses of 4 to 12 mg propofol/kg body weight/hr or repeat bolus injections (using Propofol BioQ Pharma 10 mg/ml) dose increments of 25 mg to 50 mg are given.
Dose requirements may be lower for elderly patients.
Sedation
Adults and adolescents older than 16 years of age
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– For sedation of adults and adolescents older than 16 years of age during intensive care the dose should be adjusted according to the level of sedation required. Using continous infusion doses of 0.3 to 4.0 mg propofol/kg body weight/hr are typically given. Rates of infusion greater than 4.0 mg propofol/kg body weight/hr are not recommended.
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– For sedation for diagnostic and surgical procedures in adults and adolescents older than 16 years of age generally doses of 0.5 to 1 mg propofol/kg body weight over 1 to 5 minutes are required for onset of sedation. Maintenance of sedation will require 1.5 to 4.5 mg propofol/kg body weight/hr. Additionally, single administration of 10 to 20 mg propofol can be given if a rapid increase of the level of sedation (sleepiness) is required.
General anaesthesia
Paediatric patients younger than 3 years of age
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– Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is not recommended for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia in paediatric patients between 1 month and 3 years old, because the 20 mg/ml strength is difficult to titrate in paediatric patients because of the very small volumes that are necessary.
Paediatric patients older than 3 years of age
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– For induction of anaesthesia most paediatric patients over 8 years are likely to require approximately 2.5 mg propofol/kg body weight.
In patients younger than 8 years the dose might be higher (2.5–4 mg propofol/kg body weight).
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– For maintenance of anaesthesia using continuous infusion doses of 9 to 15 mg propofol/kg body weight/hr usually achieve satisfactory anaesthesia. In younger patients, dose requirements may be higher.
Sedation
Paediatric patients older than 3 years of age
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– For sedation of paediatric patients during diagnostic and surgical interventions the dose should be adjusted according to the level of sedation required. Most paediatric patients require doses of 1 – 2 mg propofol/kg body weight for onset of sedation. Maintenance of sedation will require 1.5–9 mg propofol/kg body weight/hr.
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– Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml must not be used in paediatric patients of 16 years of age or younger in the indication for sedation in intensive care.
Duration of treatment
When used for sedation, Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml must not be administered for more than 7 days.
If you received more Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml than you should
Your doctor will ensure that you are given the right amount of propofol for you and for the procedure you are undergoing. However, different people need different doses and if you do receive too much for you, your anaesthetist may need to take measures to make sure your heart and breathing are adequately supported. This is why anaesthetic drugs are only administered by doctors trained in anaesthesia or in the care of patients in intensive care.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your anaesthetist or intensive care doctor.
4. possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Side effects that can happen during anaesthesia
The following side effects can happen during anaesthesia (while the injection is being given to you or when you are sleepy or asleep). Your doctor will be looking out for these. If they happen, your doctor will give you appropriate treatment.
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
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– A feeling of pain at the site of the injection (while the injection is being given, before you fall
asleep)
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
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– Slow heart beat
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– Low blood pressure
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– Changes in your breathing pattern
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– Hiccups
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– Hot flushes
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– Cough (when you fall asleep)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
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– Cough (may also happen when you wake up)
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
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– Twitching and shaking of your body, including convulsions and spasm (may also happen when you wake up)
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)
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– Serious allergic reaction which may include skin blistering, difficulty in breathing, redness of the skin and low blood pressure
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– Build up of fluid in the lungs which can make you very breathless (may also happen when you wake up)
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– Unusual colour of urine (may also happen when you wake up)
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
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– Spontaneous movements and fits
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– Respiratory depression (dose dependent)
Side effects that can happen after anaesthesia
The following side effects can happen after anaesthesia (when you are waking up or after you have woken up).
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
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– Excitations, headache
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– Feeling sick (nausea)
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– Being sick (vomiting)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
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– Swelling and redness or blood clots at the vein along the injection site
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
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– Dizziness, chills and sensations of cold
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– Cough
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)
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– Being unconscious after the operation (when this has happened, the patients have recovered without problems)
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– Inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis) which causes severe stomach pain (a causal relationship could not be shown)
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– Feeling sexually aroused
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– Fever following surgery
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– Tissue gangrene following accidental application outside a vessel
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
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– Increase in acidity of your blood
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– High potassium levels in your blood
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– High fat levels in your blood
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– Feeling euphoric
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– Irregular heart beat
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– Heart failure with fatal outcome (seen when propofol is used in intensive care at higher doses than recommended)
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– Increase in liver size
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– Kidney failure
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– Breakdown of muscle cells (rhabdomyolysis)
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– Changes in ECG (Brugada-type ECG)
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– Local pain, swelling following accidental application outside a vessel
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– Drug abuse and drug dependence, mostly by healthcare professionals
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme. Website: or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. how to store propofol bioq pharma 20 mg/ml
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label after “EXP”. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Store below 30°C.
Do not freeze.
Keep the vial/ampoule in the outer carton in order to protect from light.
To be used immediately.
Must not be diluted.
Chemical and physical in-use stability of the reconstituted product has been demonstrated for 24 hours at 25°C. From a microbiological point of view, the product should be used immediately. If not used immediately, in-use storage times and conditions prior to use are the responsibility of the user.
Do not use this medicine if you notice particulate matter.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Your doctor or hospital pharmacist is responsible for the correct storage, use and disposal.
6. contents of the pack and other information- the active substance is propofol. 1 millilitre emulsion for injection/infusion contains 20 mg propofol.
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– The other ingredients are soya-bean oil, refined; egg phospholipids, purified; glycerol; sodium hydroxide (for pH-adjustment); water for injections.
What Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml looks like and contents of the pack
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml emulsion for injection/infusion is a white aqueous isotonic oil-in-water emulsion.
It is available in 20 ml Type I glass ampoules, or 20, 50 and 100 ml Type I glass vials with bromobutyl rubber stoppers.
Pack sizes:
1 × 50 ml vial
Marketing Authorisation Holder
BioQ Pharma Ltd.
Garden Cottage, Hascombe Road
Godalming, Surrey GU8 4AE
United Kingdom
Manufacturer
CORDEN PHARMA S.p.A.
Viale dell’Industria 3 20867 Caponago (MB) Italy
Distributed by
BioQ Pharma B.V.
Prins Bernhardplein 200 1097 JB Amsterdam Netherlands
This medicinal product is authorised in the Member States of the EEA under the following names:
Italy
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Propofol BioQ
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml emulsie voor injectie/infusie
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml (2%) emulsion for injection/infusion
This leaflet was last revised in 07/2020.
The following information is intended for healthcare professionals only:
Method of administration
For intravenous use.
Administering Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml through a TCI-system for sedation in intensive care is not recommended.
For single use only.
Parenteral products should be inspected visually for particulate matter prior to administration. If particulate matter is evident emulsion should not be used.
Containers should be shaken before use. If two layers can be seen after shaking, the emulsion should not be used.
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is administered intravenously as an injection or as a continuous, undiluted.
Prior to use, the ampoule neck and rubber stopper should be disinfected using a medicinal alcohol (spray or dipped swab). After use, any remaining contents must be discarded.
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml does not contain antimicrobial preservatives and is capable of supporting the growth of microorganisms. The emulsion must be drawn aseptically into a sterile syringe or infusion system immediately after spiking the vial.
Administration must commence without delay. During infusion sterility of Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml as well as the infusion system must be maintained.
Medicinal products or liquids that are added to a running Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml infusion should be added close to the cannula.
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml must not be administered via infusion systems that are provided with a microbiological filter.
The contents of one vial of Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml and any infusion equipment are intended for single use in one patient.
Any remainder must be discarded immediately after use.
Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml must not be diluted.
Infusion of Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml
When Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml is administered as a continuous infusion, it is recommended that equipment such as burettes, drop counter, syringe pumps or volumetric infusion pumps should always be used to control infusion rates.
As applies to parenteral administration of all kinds of fat emulsions, the duration of use for one infusion system for a continuous infusion of Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml must not exceed 12 hours. The infusion system and the container must be discarded and replaced after a maximum of 12 hours.
The simultaneous administration of Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml together with an infusion solution of glucose 50 mg/ml (5%), sodium chloride 9 mg/ml (0.9%) intravenous infusion solution or a combination solution of glucose 40 mg/ml (4%) and sodium chloride 1.8 mg/ml (0.18%) close to the Y-connector near the place of injection, is possible.
Any Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml remaining at the end of the infusion period or after changing the system needs to be discarded and destroyed.
To reduce pain on the injection site lidocaine may be injected immediately before the use of Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml.
The infusion system should be rinsed before administration of muscle relaxants like atracurium and mivacurium when using the same infusion system for Propofol BioQ Pharma 20 mg/ml.
Disposal
Any remaining contents after use should be discarded.
Any unused product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements.
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