Oct 24 - House Bill Proposes Pharmaceutical Takeback Program
Last month, US Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (New York) introduced H.R. 2939, a bill that would create a national takeback program for pharmaceuticals.
Improperly disposed pharmaceuticals can lead to accidental poisonings or drug abuse and addictions. In addition, they end up polluting our waterways. According to a study conducted by the United States Geological Survey, 80% of our streams have traceable amounts of hormones, steroids, and other drugs. Read more about the issue of pharmaceutical waste on our website.
H.R. 2939 mandates a national extended producer responsibility program for unwanted and expired pharmaceuticals, funded solely by pharmaceutical manufacturers. The bill, also known as the Pharmaceutical Stewardship Act of 2011, would create a nonprofit organization to administer safe and free takeback programs for pharmaceuticals in every county and city with a population of 10,000 or more. British Columbia has had a similar program in place since 1997. A link to the status and language of H.R. 2939, which is currently in a committee, is available here.
If you’re tired of not having a place to properly dispose of your medications, sign the petition to support H.R. 2939.
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