Safe Medication Return is funded by manufacturers of covered drugs and implemented by program operators according to plans approved by the Department of Health.
- Program operators manage drug take-back collection and disposal
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Programs must adhere to chapter 69.48 RCW, chapter 246-480 WAC, and their approved plans.
Programs:
- place and maintain drug collection kiosks.
- provide free, prepaid, preaddressed mail-back envelopes and packages.
- organize, manage, and fund take-back events.
- package, transport, and dispose of collected drugs (collected drugs are destroyed at facilities that meet state and federal disposal regulations).
- make sure the public, pharmacists, and other health care professionals understand why and how to safely dispose of household over-the-counter and prescription medications (including medications for pets).
- provide reports to the department.
- coordinate to provide a website and toll-free number where people can locate all kiosks and mailer distributors, order mail-back supplies, ask questions, and find information about disposing medication appropriately.
Each program must place one kiosk in each of Washington’s 281 population centers plus an additional kiosk for every 50,000 people in the population center’s city or town. On islands and in areas outside population centers, programs must place kiosks at each potential authorized collection that is regularly open to the public, willing to participate, and qualified to participate.
medtakebackwashington.org | 844-482-5322 (844-4-TAKE-BACK), TTY 711
Programs pay all administrative and operational costs related to Safe Medication Return including:
- purchasing, installing, maintaining, and replacing kiosks and kiosk supplies.
- providing free prepaid, preaddressed mailers.
- operating collection events, including the cost of law enforcement staff time.
- providing training material to kiosk and collection event hosts, and mailer distributors.
- providing educational and outreach material to the public.
- transporting and appropriately disposing of collected drugs.
See Safe Medication Return homepage for information on returning your unwanted medications.
- Authorized collectors host permanent collection kiosks
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Retail pharmacies, hospitals and clinics with on-site pharmacies, law enforcement agencies, substance use disorder treatment programs, and other organizations that meet the requirements of RCW 69.48.060(2) can host kiosks.
Kiosks may also be located at long-term care facilities as long as they are operated by a pharmacy or hospital/clinic with an on-site pharmacy.
RCW 69.48.060(1)(c) requires programs to include any retail pharmacy, hospital or clinic with an on-site pharmacy, or law enforcement agency that offers to participate without compensation and meets the requirements RCW 69.48.060(2).
Substance use disorder treatment programs, long term care facilities, and other organizations that meet the requirements of RCW 69.48.060(2), could also be included.
If you are interested in hosting a kiosk, contact our programs. We suggest contacting both to determine which best fits your needs.
Inmar or 844-492-2382, TTY 711 | MED-Project or 844-633-7765, TTY 711 - Mailer distributors provide mail-back supplies
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RCW 69.48.060(3)(d) requires programs to establish mailer distributors in areas of the state that are underserved by kiosks. Programs may also establish mailer distributors in other areas. Mailer distributors are town halls, libraries, and other facilities that offer free, prepaid, preaddressed mailers so people can return household medications.
In areas underserved by kiosks, programs must consult with the department, local law enforcement, local health jurisdictions, and communities to determine the number and sites of mailer distributors.
Mailer distributors should be open to the public and able to provide mailers on request.
If you are interested in becoming a mailer distributor, contact our programs. We suggest contacting both to determine which best fits your needs:
MED-Project or 844-633-7765 (TTY 711) | Inmar or 844-492-2382
- Any retail pharmacy can also distribute medication return mailers
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RCW 69.48.060(3)(e) requires programs to provide a mail-back program (free of charge) to retail pharmacies that offer to distribute mailers. You don’t have to host a kiosk or become a mailer distributor in order to receive free mailers to distribute.
If you are a retail pharmacy and would like to provide mailers to your customers or the public you can order up to 250 mailers in units of 50.
Contact MED-Project or 844-633-7765 (TTY 711) | Inmar or 844-492-2382 for specifics.
- Periodic take-back events supplement kiosks in underserved areas
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In addition to mailer distributors, RCW 69.48.060(3)(d) requires programs to hold periodic drug take-back events in areas of the state that are underserved by kiosks. These take-back events are overseen by law enforcement and paid for by programs. Programs must consult with the department, local law enforcement, local health jurisdictions, and communities to determine the frequency and location of drug take-back events. Typically take-back events will be held twice a year in communities underserved by kiosks.
If you are interested in hosting a drug take-back event at your location contact our programs:
Contact MED-Project or 844-633-7765 (TTY 711) | Inmar or 844-492-2382
- You do not have to pay to provide mailers, or host a kiosk or collection event
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Programs pay all costs related to implementing Safe Medication Return.
- Organizations can apply to become program operators every four years
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The department reviews new and updated program proposals on a four-year cycle. See Program Plans and Report: Proposed Program Plans for more information.
Programs must adhere to chapter 69.48 RCW, chapter 246-480 WAC, and their approved plan.