Transcript Washington State`s Pharmaceutical Take Back Pilot

PH:ARM
(Pharmaceuticals from Households:
A Return Mechanism)
Washington State’s Medicine Return
Cheri Grasso
King County Hazardous Waste Management
4th Annual Unused Drug Return Conference
Portland, Maine
October 31, 2007
PH:ARM Team
Local Governments
King County Hazardous Waste Management Program
Interagency Resource for Achieving Cooperation (IRAC)
Public Health – Seattle & King County
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Snohomish County Solid Waste Management Division
State Agencies
State Department of Ecology
State Department of Social and Health Services
State Board of Pharmacy
Non Profits
Northwest Product Stewardship Council
Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation
Pacific NW Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC)
Private Sector
Group Health Cooperative
Bartell Drugs
PH:ARM Goals
• Keep drugs out of the environment
• Prevent drug diversion/ abuse
• Prevent child poisonings
• As easy to dispose as to buy medicine
• Meet regulatory requirements
• Create replicable model for others
British Columbia’s program: a
model
• Since 1996
• Serves 4 million people
• No fee to user
• 856 pharmacies participating
• 44,000 lbs annually
• Total cost $257,000 in 2006
Results of Survey
• 74% want to properly dispose of their
unwanted medicines if convenient
• 80% would return their meds to a
pharmacy
-SoundStats Survey of King County, 2006
PH:ARM Pilot Project
• 25 Clinic pharmacy locations
• 39 Retail pharmacy locations
• 20 nursing homes
• 2 years in length (ongoing)
• Includes all pharmaceutical products*
______________________
*Initially we will not collect controlled substances, pending DEA
agreement
DEA Waiver Request
Memo of Understanding
– Clinical Pharmacy
– Retail Pharmacy
Strong Political Support
U.S. Senator Maria
Cantwell
U.S. Senator Patty
Murray
Governor Christine
Gregoire
Attorney General Rob
McKenna
Secretary of Health
Mary Selecky
EPA Region X
Administrator
1st Phase: Clinical Pharmacy
• HMO in Washington State
• 500,000 Customers; 25 pharmacies
• Started Oct 2006 with 7 locations
• 16 locations October 2007
Group Health Container
Results (thus far) of GHC Pilot
Eleven clinics in 10 months
– Little advertising
– Not open to general public
– Collected over 3,000 lbs
• Estimate: 1.5 lbs a day per pharmacy
site on average
Next Phase: Retail Pharmacy
• Bartell Drugs
• 1 central warehouse
• 39 locations
• more returns likely
Beyond the Pilot
Financing
• Funding:
– $250,000 + grants
– in-kind donations
• Washington - 66,000 lbs/year
Manufacturers in Canada Program
And many more….
Product Stewardship Is…
• Shared environmental responsibility
• Producers, sellers or users
responsible for environ. impact
Product Stewardship in BC
• Pharm brand owners
• Pharmacies
• Consumers
• Government
Product Stewardship in World
Locations
European Union
Canada
Japan
South Korea
Australia
Products
–
Batteries
–
Electronics
–
–
Pharmaceuticals
Paint
Legislation
• Producer responsibility bill
• Manufacturer funded take backs
Additional Information
• Information about the Washington pilot:
www.medicinereturn.com
• Northwest Product Stewardship Council:
www.productstewardship.net
• Information about the BC program:
http://www.medicationsreturn.ca/
Contact Information
Cheri Grasso
Health and Environmental Investigator
Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County
206-263-3089
[email protected]
Will Perry
Health and Environmental Investigator
Seattle-King County Public Health
206-263-8477
[email protected]