Secure medicine return drop off kiosks are available in King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties and will expand statewide, under the manufacturer funded and Department of Health overseen Safe Medication Return program, in 2019-2020. NWPSC handout, October 2018
2008 Medicine Take-back Workshop in Seattle, Washington
In April 2008, a consortium of key health, government, environmental and citizen groups concerned with the impacts of improper residential drug disposal organized a one-day workshop address the residential drug disposal dilemma and determine the next action steps in establishing a secure take-back system for Washington State.
The Teleosis Institute, a non-profit organization promoting sustainable medicine, launched the Green Pharmacy Campaign, in May 2007. The campaign is a collaboration with local pharmacies, health providers, and consumers, aimed at reducing the "footprint" of pharmaceutical medicine.
Pharmaceuticals present both a public safety and environmental hazard if no secure disposal options exist. Therefore, a safe collection and disposal alternative is necessary. Such a collection infrastructure will only work if Product Stewardship is integral to the design whereby residential customers can “take-back” pharmaceuticals to local pharmacies and drug stores.
SSB 5234, the Medicine Take-Back Bill, was introduced in January 2011 but did not move out of the Senate Rules Committee. Re-introduced in January 2012, during the second year of the 2011-2012 biennium, the bill did not get a floor vote and is now dead.
In July 2012, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance, the Alameda County Safe Drug Disposal Ordinance(PDF), requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to create and fund a program to collect and properly dispose of leftover drugs they manufacture. This ordinance is the first of its kind in the nation.
