Lawmaker pushing for drug disposal law

SEATTLE – A state lawmaker wants to make drug companies responsible for disposing of unused medicine that could end up in the environment or be abused by teens.

Rep. Dawn Morrell, D-Puyallup, says she’ll push legislation requiring pharmaceutical companies to set up and pay for a statewide drug disposal program, much in the way that electronics manufacturers are required to recycle TVs and computers.

“We feel it’s their responsibility,” said Morrell, a nurse. “We can’t have them in the environment and in the drug cabinets for our little kids.”

She has the support of a coalition of local governments, pharmacists, environmentalists and others who say it’s a safer alternative to flushing drugs down the toilet or drain.

A pilot program has collected 15,000 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter pills at participating Bartell Drugs and Group Health Cooperative clinics in six counties since 2006.

But with public funding ending, the coalition is seeking a permanent, statewide solution, and it’s looking to drug manufacturers.

“If you make a product, you should arrange for it to be safely taken back,” said David Stitzhal, a member of the Northwest Product Stewardship Council, which is part of the coalition Pharmaceuticals from Households: A Return Mechanism.

“We’re starting to see biological impacts of pharmaceuticals in the environment,” he said.

Medications that are improperly disposed of in the sewer system or landfills could enter drinking water sources.

An Associated Press investigation this year found at least 46 million Americans are supplied with drinking water that has tested positive for traces of pharmaceuticals.

Researchers also have found evidence that even extremely diluted concentrations of pharmaceutical residues harm fish, frogs and other aquatic species in the wild.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America says regulatory agencies have already established ways to safely dispose of drugs in the household trash.

The group says it is working to educate the public about the harmful environmental effects of flushing drugs down toilets but opposes take-back programs.

“Drug recycling and take-back programs would be an unnecessary burden on patients when safe and environmentally friendly methods for disposal already exist,” Ken Johnson, the group’s senior vice president, said in a statement this week.

But Morrell and others say a statewide program that allows easy disposal could help stem a rising trend in prescription drug abuse among teens, who often get drugs from medicine cabinets.

There is currently no statewide program to collect unwanted drugs, though many governments, police departments and other groups conduct one-time take-back events.

Clark County has a free take-back program involving about two dozen pharmacies and eight law enforcement agencies.

Even though the pilot program has ended, residents in Puget Sound and Spokane can still bring unwanted medicine to participating Bartell pharmacies and Group Health clinics.

Representatives from those companies say they’ll collect the drugs at least through 2009.

“Some people have had these medications building up for five years plus,” said Tyler Oatway, pharmacy manager at a Bartell’s in Seattle. “Some come in with a big bag.”

At Group Health, “the response has been overwhelming,” said Shirley Reitz, assistant director of pharmacy clinical services. One person brought in a suitcase of medication after clearing out a grandmother’s house, she said.

Supporters point out that manufacturers have been providing a pharmacy-based medicine return program for more than 10 years in British Columbia.

Safe disposal of controlled substances, such as painkillers and tranquilizers, continues to be a challenge. Take-back programs can’t accept narcotics unless law enforcement is present to take custody.

For a controlled substance, government agencies recommend mixing it with cat litter or coffee grounds, sealing it in a dark plastic bag and putting it in the trash.