[Pharmwaste] Fwd: Breaking: New Law Will Help Mainers Dispose of Unused Drugs Safely and for Free

Fri Jun 11 10:21:48 EDT 2021

Law will establish a network of drug-collection kiosks and prepaid
mail-back envelopes at pharmacies throughout Maine,
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Colin Durrant, (207) 200-4412, colin at nrcm.org
Scott Cassel, (617) 513-3954, scott at productstewardship.us
New Law Will Help Mainers Dispose of Unused Drugs Safely and for Free
June 11, 2021 (Augusta, ME) — Mainers will be able to dispose of unused
medications safely and for free under a bill signed into law by Governor
Janet Mills. LD 8, sponsored by Senator Anne Carney and championed by
former Senator Geoffrey Gratwick, will establish a network of
drug-collection kiosks and prepaid mail-back envelopes at pharmacies
throughout Maine, which will supplement existing drug take-back events and
police station drop-off sites.

“Passage of LD 8 greatly improves Maine's ability to prevent improper
disposal of unwanted drugs,” said Senator Anne Carney. “The safe,
convenient Extended Producer Responsibility program for disposing of
unwanted drugs at the pharmacy will keep unwanted drugs from contributing
to substance use disorder and from contaminating our water supply. I'm
grateful to my colleagues in the House and Senate for supporting this
important public health and environmental protection legislation.”

“Maine has long championed Extended Producer Responsibility laws like this
one that have proven effective at reducing waste and protecting Maine’s
environment,” said Sarah Nichols, Sustainable Maine Director at the Natural
Resources Council of Maine. “The new drug take-back program will decrease
the risk of accidental poisoning and drug overdoses by preventing unused
medications, like opioids, from accumulating in homes and getting into the
wrong hands. It also has environmental benefits, offering a safer
alternative to landfilling or flushing of unwanted drugs into our rivers
and streams.”

Since 2012, six U.S. states and 23 cities and counties have established
producer-funded drug takeback programs. The Product Stewardship Institute
(PSI), a national nonprofit, paved the way for the passage of these drug
take-back laws by leading an effort that changed the federal Controlled
Substances Act and Drug Enforcement Administration regulations to allow
convenient pharmacy collections.

“Passage of this law will alleviate a substantial financial and management
burden from taxpayers and local governments,” said Scott Cassel, Chief
Executive Officer and Founder of PSI. “It will also place the primary
responsibility for drug take-back with the drug companies while encouraging
retail pharmacies to offer a valuable community service.”

Maine has already established successful producer-funded and managed
stewardship programs for seven other difficult-to-manage waste types
including: electronic waste like computers, unused paints, old mercury
thermostats, mercury-containing auto switches, lamps that contain mercury,
cell phones, and rechargeable batteries.

The Maine House and Senate are soon expected to vote on an Extended
Producer Responsibility bill (LD 1541) that would ask manufacturers to help
manage packaging waste to save taxpayer money and improve recycling by
bringing relief to municipalities that are struggling with rising costs for
recycling and waste disposal. The bill received bipartisan majority support
from the Legislature’s Environment & Natural Resources Committee.

###

Founded in 1959, the Natural Resources Council of Maine
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Founded in 2000, the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI)
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well as 120 partners from companies, organizations, universities, and
international governments.
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partners, and supporters to do our great work. Please consider making a
donation this Giving Tuesday to our #AllInForPSI year end campaign. Thank
you!
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