Drug take-back, disposal program proposed for pharmaceutical companies

  • By Sharon Salyer Herald Writer
  • Sunday, March 13, 2016 7:30pm
  • Local News

EVERETT — The Snohomish Health District could require pharmaceutical companies to pay for the safe disposal of consumers’ unused medications beginning next year.

A countywide take-back program has existed since 2010, disposing of 34,000 pounds of unwanted medications. But it’s limited, only capturing a fraction of what’s brought into homes.

“We’re talking tens of thousands of pounds of this stuff every year,” said Snohomish County Council member Brian Sullivan, who also serves on the health district board.

An estimated 9.7 million prescriptions were filled in Snohomish County in 2014 and there were some 13 million over-the-counter medication purchases, according to the health district.

About a third of the medications sold to the public go unused. People often flush them down the toilet or toss them into the garbage. “The problem is they leak into Puget Sound and it creates an unhealthy environment,” Sullivan said.

Local pharmacies with disposal bins don’t accept powerful medications, such as painkillers. Narcotic pain pills and stimulants such as Ritalin can be dropped off at 26 locations, such as Snohomish County Sheriff’s offices and local police stations, but typically only during business hours Monday through Friday.

“The real challenge is how to make it convenient to get rid of these unused drugs,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer for the Snohomish Health District.

Leftover prescriptions can provide easy access to powerful medications that can lead to accidental poisonings and deaths, Goldbaum said.

Nearly a third of poisonings and deaths in Washington were caused by victims taking someone else’s prescription medications, according to the health district.

The problem isn’t just with prescribed medications. Over-the-counter medicines, such as antihistamines, ibuprofen and Tylenol are among the top ten causes of poisonings in Washington homes, especially for children, according to the Washington Poison Center.

The health district’s goal is to have drop boxes in every city with a pharmacy and an additional drop box for every 30,000 people in cities and unincorporated areas. On Tuesday, the health district board can either decide the idea needs more time for consideration or schedule dates for public comment, which could begin later this month.

If approved, Snohomish County would join a handful of counties that have adopted or are considering similar drug take-back plans. The closest program, in King County, is expected to launch in mid-June, the first such program in the state. The goal is to have 125 collection sites by year’s end, said Taylor Watson, a manager for the secure medicine return program at Public Health — Seattle &King County. The cost to consumers is estimated at 1-to-2 cents per prescription, Watson said.

The drug take-back program being considered by the Snohomish Health District would be similar to the state’s electronics waste recycling program. “You pay a portion of the disposal fee in the purchase price and then the manufacturers are responsible for getting an organization to collect it,” said health district spokeswoman Heather Thomas.

Final action on the proposal isn’t expected until at least June. Pharmaceutical companies would have six months to submit disposal plans for review by the health district. The ordinance would go into effect three months after a disposal plan is approved, Thomas said.

The current program is run in collaboration with the Snohomish County Drug and Gang Task Force. A health district employee is deputized by the county to pick up the medications from each disposal bin. They’re taken to an approved incineration facility in Spokane or Oregon, Thomas said. Those trips are made two to three times a year.

“We have to collect it and keep it secure until we make those trips,” Thomas said. “It becomes a storage issue.” The program costs the health district about $80,000 a year, she said.

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Police Cmdr. Scott King answers questions about the Flock Safety license plate camera system on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mountlake Terrace approves Flock camera system after public pushback

The council approved the $54,000 license plate camera system agreement by a vote of 5-2.

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen goes through an informational slideshow about the current budget situation in Edmonds during a roundtable event at the Edmonds Waterfront Center on Monday, April 7, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds mayor recommends $19M levy lid lift for November

The city’s biennial budget assumed a $6 million levy lid lift. The final levy amount is up to the City Council.

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Snohomish County property owners can prepare for wildfire season

Clean your roofs, gutters and flammable material while completing a 5-foot-buffer around your house.

(City of Everett)
Everett’s possible new stadium has a possible price tag

City staff said a stadium could be built for $82 million, lower than previous estimates. Bonds and private investment would pay for most of it.

Jennifer Humelo, right, hugs Art Cass outside of Full Life Care Snohomish County on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘I’ll lose everything’: Snohomish County’s only adult day health center to close

Full Life Care in Everett, which supports adults with disabilities, will shut its doors July 19 due to state funding challenges.

Stolen car crashes into Everett Mexican restaurant

Contrary to social media rumors, unmarked police units had nothing to do with a raid by ICE agents.

Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. (Olivia Vanni/The Herald)
Providence Everett issues layoff notices to over 100 nursing assistants

The layoffs are part of a larger restructuring by Providence, affecting 600 positions across seven states, Providence announced Thursday.

Junelle Lewis, right, daughter Tamara Grigsby and son Jayden Hill sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during Monroe’s Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Where to celebrate Juneteenth in Snohomish County this year

Celebrations last from Saturday to Thursday, and span Lynnwood, Edmonds, Monroe and Mountlake Terrace.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Lake Stevens in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Judge rules in favor of sewer district in Lake Stevens dispute

The city cannot assume the district earlier than agreed to in 2005, a Snohomish County Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday.

Herald staff photo by Michael O'Leary 070807
DREAMLINER - The first Boeing 787 is swarmed by the crowd attending the roll out of the plane in on July 8, 2007 at the Boeing assembly facility in Everett.
Plane in Air India crash tragedy was built in Everett

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the crash that killed more than 200 people was shipped from Everett to Air India in 2014.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.