Washington drug take back law

Pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to fund and run a secure medicine return system in Washington, thanks to a first in the nation statewide drug take back law passed March 22, 2018. The law is similar to the Secure Medicine Return / MED-Project stewardship programs, funded by manufacturers and mandated by local health ordinances, currently operating in King and Snohomish counties, and coming soon to Clallam, Kitsap, Pierce, Skagit, and Whatcom counties. According to Zero Waste Washington's policy fact sheet (PDF), "Manufacturers must provide local programs under these ordinances until one year after the statewide program is launched. Otherwise local laws regulating drug take-back programs are preempted under the statewide law."