[Pharmwaste] CPSC Meds Disposal Newsletter May 2017

Tue May 9 19:32:36 EDT 2017

May 9th, 2017

[https://gallery.mailchimp.com/80dc739dafd96b0ffcbfafd1b/images/45801fa8-a234-4238-89b8-92fe2efb5401.jpg]<http://www.dontrushtoflush.org>

In this May newsletter we highlight new reports, studies, developments and resources you can use to promote and enhance your pharmaceutical collection programs and support our efforts to implement sustainably funded collection and public education programs throughout California and beyond! If you have information you want to share in our next newsletter please email CPSC's Chris Lester<mailto:chris at calpsc.org>.

California State Auditor Report on Home-Generated Sharps and Pharmaceutical Waste Released TODAY!

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Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson and Assembly Members Phil Ting and Adam Gray requested this study in May 2016 to establish facts for policymakers. After a year of research and interviews with stakeholders, the report was published on May 9th, 2017.

Key Report Highlights:

  *   Increase consumer access to proper disposal sites in underserved areas
  *   Consumers receive conflicting guidance regarding the proper disposal of sharps and pharmaceutical waste
  *   Maintain an up‑to‑date, well‑publicized, and accessible statewide list of free sharps and pharmaceutical waste collection sites
  *   The Legislature should adopt standard requirements for local governments to follow when implementing EPR programs for medical waste
Click to view the Full Report<https://www.bsa.ca.gov/pdfs/reports/2016-127.pdf>; Report Summary<https://www.bsa.ca.gov/reports/2016-127/summary.html>; Fact Sheet<https://www.bsa.ca.gov/pdfs/factsheets/2016-127.pdf>

CPSC Develops Customizable Medication
Disposal White Board Video!

CPSC developed a safe medication disposal white board video for Santa Clara County with funding provided by a grant from the Santa Clara Valley Water District<http://www.valleywater.org/>'s Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection program. The video was designed to be customizable for use across California, and we're making the video available for you to educate your community about safe storage and disposal and promote local collection locations. Click below to view the Santa Clara County video:

[https://gallery.mailchimp.com/video_thumbnails_new/c5dccbeb6a6c488ada458ee2803a3ed6.png]<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETVYsKgZRJc>

In addition to the full 90 second animated white board video<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETVYsKgZRJc>, CPSC also developed a 20 second short video<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5igKhN77W8s> optimized for social media that is also customizable.

CPSC promoted both versions to Santa Clara County residents on Facebook with great results: the 90 second video reached 32,000 residents and the 20 second video reached 15,000 residents! For more information about customizing the videos with your agency logos to use in your area, contact CPSC Assistant Director Dan Howells<mailto:dan at calpsc.org>.

DEA Collection Event April 29th
450 Tons Gathered in Just One Day

On April 29th, 2017, the Drug Enforcement Agency held its bi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day<https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/> medication collection events across the country. The event was the most successful ever, collecting 450 tons of unwanted medications at close to 5,500 sites. In California alone, 346 collection events collected over 37 tons!

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Pictured - Medications collected through events stored in the basement
of the DEA district office in Baltimore (link<http://www.wbal.com/article/236413/148/a-rare-peek-inside-dea-basement-after-prescription-drug-collection>)

The success of these one day events illustrates the clear need for additional year-round, convenient disposal opportunities so the public is not forced to choose between storing in the home in between events and flushing and/or trashing.

CPSC in National Take Back Day Press Coverage

  *   KCRA TV - Prescription Drug Take Back Day 2017<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A24Lnad8nwA&t=13s>
  *   Sacramento Bee - Empty Your Medicine Cabinets, Drug Takeback Day is Coming<http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article146934764.html>
  *   KFBK News Radio with Kitty O'Neal - Don't Rush to Flush: Drug Disposal Day<http://kfbk.iheart.com/onair/the-afternoon-news-with-kitty-oneal-50603/dont-rush-to-flush-drug-disposal-15774399/>
  *   Sacramento Police Department Press Release - Sacramento Police Install Year-Round Medication Take Back Bins<http://www.publicnow.com/view/4154BB5F6F286B7D10D12798981609B1AC0E5573?2017-04-26-18:01:11+01:00-xxx6387>

The Number of Don't Rush to Flush Bins in California Continues to Grow!

CPSC's Don't Rush to Flush campaign continues to grow with 8 new permanent, convenient bins placed in Monterey, Sacramento, and Santa Clara counties in 2017! The most recent bin was placed at the City of Sacramento Public Safety Center (pictured).
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Pictured: Sue Ortiz with Sacramento Police Department

The Sacramento Police Department has a new collection bin for unwanted medications but also hosted a Prescription Drug Take Back Day event and collected 1,048 pounds in just two hours! We note that there are 263 pharmacies and hospitals registered with the Board of Pharmacy to distribute meds in Sacramento County, but only 12 collection locations, 5 of which accept controlled meds highlighting the need for more bins.

For a map of drop off bins across California, visit the Don't Rush to Flush map<https://dontrushtoflush.org/dontrush2flush/map>!

Significant Roll Out of Industry-Funded MED Project Bins in Counties with EPR Ordinances
The pharma industry-operated MED Project<http://www.med-project.org/> continues to place new bins in the City/County of San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties as required under these jurisdiction's respective pharmaceutical Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) ordinances. [https://gallery.mailchimp.com/80dc739dafd96b0ffcbfafd1b/images/e5bbb36b-bd87-4497-bf6e-54ae0431f322.jpg]

To date, there are 73 bins paid for by drug companies:

  *   City/County of San Francisco - 26 bins
  *   County of Alameda - 16 bins
  *   County of San Mateo - 24 bins
  *   County of Santa Cruz -7 bins
San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz also have numerous locations distributing mailback envelopes through MED Project.
Pictured - MED Project Bin at
Haller's Pharmacy of Fremont

Amazing Media Coverage on Opioid Abuse
and the Need for Med Take Back!

Sacramento NBC affiliate KCRA 3 and other Heart Media affiliates have been covering the opioid addiction problem as part of the "State of Addiction" series. KCRA did a lengthy preview of the DEA National Take Back Day events, and included a long discussion with CPSC's Heidi Sanborn about the need for industry to help fund medication stewardship programs. See the full clip below.

[KCRA 3 "Why hundreds dropped off unwanted pills in nationwide event"]<https://youtu.be/LX_eOOLwli8>

Walgreens Collects 72 Tons of Medications in 1st Year of Medication Collection Program

On April 26, 2017 Walgreens announced<http://news.walgreens.com/press-releases/general-news/walgreens-medication-disposal-program-collects-72-tons-of-unused-medications-in-first-year-opioid-antidote-medication-naloxone-available-without-prescription-at-walgreens-in-44-states.htm> that their safe medication disposal program has collected over 72 tons of unwanted medications since the program first launched. Walgreens became the first national pharmacy chain to begin providing this service in February 2016 in an effort to help fight the rise in overdose-related deaths. To date, Walgreens has installed bins at over 600 of its 24 hour stores across the nation, more than 100 kiosks above the program's original goal.

CPSC applauds Walgreens for voluntarily providing year-round safe disposal opportunities for the public and encourages other national chains to follow their lead to help protect public health and the environment.
[https://gallery.mailchimp.com/80dc739dafd96b0ffcbfafd1b/images/5db3a9c5-9508-4dc3-a7a3-3fd134f34dfe.png]<http://news.walgreens.com/presskits/combating-drug-abuse.htm>

New Study Provides Sobering Data on Accidental Opioid Poisoning of Children

A new study<http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2017/03/16/peds.2016-3382> in Pediatrics<http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/139/5?current-issue=y> emphasizes the critical importance of keeping medications "Up and Away and Out of Sight" to prevent accidental poisonings. The study found that there were over 188,000 opioid exposures among children under age 20 reported from 2000 to 2015, or more than 11,000 exposures each year.

Of these exposures, 95% occured at a residence, underscoring the need for safe storage in the home and to regularly remove expired and unwanted medications using a safe disposal bin or event.

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Our mailing address is:
California Product Stewardship Council
1822 21st Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95811

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