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10/04/2018

California Governor Signs SB 212 Into Law

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OCTOBER 4, 2018

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law SB 212, establishing a comprehensive statewide takeback system for sharps and medications. California is the first state to create a comprehensive, producer-funded takeback program to provide safe and convenient disposal options for both home-generated pharmaceutical drugs and sharps waste.

A traditional Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, the bill requires manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and sharps to fund the program and a “Stewardship Organization” to implement it. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) is responsible for developing the regulations and administering the program.

The final effective date is January 1, 2021.

Regulations authorize pharmacies, hospitals or clinics with onsite pharmacies, distributors and reverse distributors licensed by the California State Board of Pharmacy to offer, subject to prescribed requirements, specified prescription drug takeback services through collection receptacles (kiosks) or mailback envelopes or packages to provide options for the public to discard unwanted, unused or outdated prescription drugs.

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