[PPI Update] NACo Adopts Pharmaceutical Take-Back Resolution
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Katie Hershey
Aug 3, 2009, 9:07:52 AM8/3/09
to New York Product Stewardship Council
National Association of Counties Adopts Resolution on Producer
Responsibility for Unwanted Medicines
Nashville, Tenn. (July 28, 2009) – The National Association of
Counties (NACo), the country’s largest local government organization,
today unanimously adopted a policy supporting producer responsibility
for unwanted medicines.
The expense of taking back unused prescription and over-the-counter
drugs would be handled by the pharmaceutical industry, without relying
on state or local government funding.
“There are examples of successful take back programs in the U.S and
Canada that benefit the health both of the environment and the
population,” said Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt of Ramsey County,
Minnesota, who introduced the proposal along with three commissioners
from Washington State. “NACo’s adopting a product stewardship policy
for the pharmaceutical industry is a great step forward.”
According to the resolution, the environmental and social problems
created by the storing and disposing of unwanted medicines are
numerous and complex. Leftover medicine may play a part in drug abuse
and accidental poisonings. Disposing of these medicines contributes to
ground and surface water contamination.
Athens, Georgia-based Product Policy Institute (PPI) helped develop
Tuesday’s resolution on unwanted medicines. The non-profit institute
works with local governments to advance comprehensive state policies
focused on producer responsibility. Reinhardt is a PPI board member.
Last week, NACo attendees heard a presentation from PPI executive
director Dr. Bill Sheehan on a successful program in British Columbia
that makes brand-owners of pharmaceutical products sold there
responsible for the safe management of unused medicines. Over 93
percent of licensed pharmacies in this province of 4.4 million people
collect unused medications, with no fees to consumers, and turn them
over to producers.
“The cost of this program in 2008 was a mere $315,000, which was
shared by pharmaceutical companies,” said Sheehan. “Like Europe and
Canada, the U.S. can develop programs to cover the costs of
collecting, transporting and disposing of these medicines. It’s
imperative we do so.”
Commissioner Reinhardt has written and introduced four previous NACo
resolutions on product stewardship that were readopted this year,
including ones advocating producer responsibility for paint,
electronics, and mercury-containing lamps.
The fourth resolution supports a framework approach to Extended
Producer Responsibility. This system makes manufacturers primarily
responsible for the life cycle impacts of their products.
Contact:
Bill Sheehan, Product Policy Institute, 706-613-0710,
bi...@productpolicy.org.
Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, 651-266-8363,
victoria....@co.ramsey.mn.us.
About the National Association of Counties:
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national
organization that represents county governments in the United States.
Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s
3,066 counties. NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the
federal government, improves the public's understanding of county
government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative
solutions through education and research, and provides value-added
services to save counties and taxpayers money. NACo's membership
totals more than 2,000 counties, representing over 80 percent of the
nation's population. For more information go to www.naco.org.
About the Product Policy Institute:
The Product Policy Institute (PPI) is a North American non-partisan,
non-profit research, communication and educational organization
promoting policies that advance sustainable production, consumption
and good governance. Founded in 2003, PPI works with communities and
their local governments to advocate for public policies that protect
public health and safety and address climate change by encouraging
waste prevention and clean production. PPI helped local governments
establish Product Stewardship Councils in California, New York,
Vermont and Texas and is currently working in other states. For more
information, visit www.productpolicy.org.
Responsibility for Unwanted Medicines
Nashville, Tenn. (July 28, 2009) – The National Association of
Counties (NACo), the country’s largest local government organization,
today unanimously adopted a policy supporting producer responsibility
for unwanted medicines.
The expense of taking back unused prescription and over-the-counter
drugs would be handled by the pharmaceutical industry, without relying
on state or local government funding.
“There are examples of successful take back programs in the U.S and
Canada that benefit the health both of the environment and the
population,” said Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt of Ramsey County,
Minnesota, who introduced the proposal along with three commissioners
from Washington State. “NACo’s adopting a product stewardship policy
for the pharmaceutical industry is a great step forward.”
According to the resolution, the environmental and social problems
created by the storing and disposing of unwanted medicines are
numerous and complex. Leftover medicine may play a part in drug abuse
and accidental poisonings. Disposing of these medicines contributes to
ground and surface water contamination.
Athens, Georgia-based Product Policy Institute (PPI) helped develop
Tuesday’s resolution on unwanted medicines. The non-profit institute
works with local governments to advance comprehensive state policies
focused on producer responsibility. Reinhardt is a PPI board member.
Last week, NACo attendees heard a presentation from PPI executive
director Dr. Bill Sheehan on a successful program in British Columbia
that makes brand-owners of pharmaceutical products sold there
responsible for the safe management of unused medicines. Over 93
percent of licensed pharmacies in this province of 4.4 million people
collect unused medications, with no fees to consumers, and turn them
over to producers.
“The cost of this program in 2008 was a mere $315,000, which was
shared by pharmaceutical companies,” said Sheehan. “Like Europe and
Canada, the U.S. can develop programs to cover the costs of
collecting, transporting and disposing of these medicines. It’s
imperative we do so.”
Commissioner Reinhardt has written and introduced four previous NACo
resolutions on product stewardship that were readopted this year,
including ones advocating producer responsibility for paint,
electronics, and mercury-containing lamps.
The fourth resolution supports a framework approach to Extended
Producer Responsibility. This system makes manufacturers primarily
responsible for the life cycle impacts of their products.
Contact:
Bill Sheehan, Product Policy Institute, 706-613-0710,
bi...@productpolicy.org.
Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, 651-266-8363,
victoria....@co.ramsey.mn.us.
About the National Association of Counties:
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national
organization that represents county governments in the United States.
Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s
3,066 counties. NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the
federal government, improves the public's understanding of county
government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative
solutions through education and research, and provides value-added
services to save counties and taxpayers money. NACo's membership
totals more than 2,000 counties, representing over 80 percent of the
nation's population. For more information go to www.naco.org.
About the Product Policy Institute:
The Product Policy Institute (PPI) is a North American non-partisan,
non-profit research, communication and educational organization
promoting policies that advance sustainable production, consumption
and good governance. Founded in 2003, PPI works with communities and
their local governments to advocate for public policies that protect
public health and safety and address climate change by encouraging
waste prevention and clean production. PPI helped local governments
establish Product Stewardship Councils in California, New York,
Vermont and Texas and is currently working in other states. For more
information, visit www.productpolicy.org.
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