Illinois Legislature Passes Bills for Safe Pharmaceutical Disposal

During the 2009 session of the Illinois General Assembly, PRN has strongly supported two bills introduced by Senator Susan Garrett, 29th District, to reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals entering our rivers and streams. Both of these bills have passed the Senate and House and now await Governor Quinn’s signature to become law.

Senate Bill 178 provides some guidance for facilities that collect unused/unwanted medicine so that their disposal is safe for people and the environment. The bill amends the Illinois Environmental Protection Act to require facilities accepting unused/unwanted medicines (including one-day collection events) to be clearly identified, accept items only from private individuals, and manage and secure collected pharmaceuticals in a manner preventing their release into the environment or possession by unauthorized individuals.

We are disappointed that an earlier amendment of the bill took out a provision that would have required health care providers to display a poster created by the IEPA with information on proper pharmaceutical disposal and drop-off locations. We will continue to advocate for increased participation by health care providers in educating the public and in offering them proper disposal solutions.

Senate Bill 1919 prohibits health care institutions, employees and partners from using disposal methods that send unwanted and unused pharmaceuticals into a public wastewater system (e.g. by flushing them down toilets or sinks).

Research on the effects of pharmaceuticals on aquatic life and humans continues to build the case that this is a major source of pollution. It is clear that there is no current effective, affordable method for completely eliminating pharmaceutical chemicals during wastewater treatment. At this time, keeping unused and unwanted pharmaceuticals out of the wastewater system is the best preventative measure citizens can take for their rivers and streams. You can do this by purchasing only the amount of prescription and over-the-counter medicine you need and by properly disposing of unwanted and unused medications. Visit our pharmaceuticals webpages for more information on how to dispose of medicine.