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Index Page

Chapter 1: Introduction and Background

Chapter 2: Unwanted Medicine Take-back Programs: Case Studies

Chapter 3: How to Hold a Successful Unwanted Medicine Collection Event

Chapter 4: Materials for Public Outreach and Education

Chapter 5: State Legislation Regarding Disposal and Donation of Medicines

Chapter 6. International Policy on Medicine Donations

Chapter 7: Bibliography of Literature on Pharmaceutical Chemicals and the Environment

Chapter 8: PowerPoint Presentation - Overview of the Issue

Evaluation Form

Chapter 3: How to Hold a Successful Unwanted Medicine Collection Event

This section contains resources to help you plan and hold a medicine collection event for the public. It includes information on issues you should consider and barriers you might encounter when organizing a collection event. It provides a directory of waste managers; a list of potential partners who may be sources for funding, consultation or publicity; media tips and a sample press release; and day-of-the-event advice. It also discusses some of the regulatory requirements that you may need to consider when dealing with controlled substances and hazardous materials.

Overview of considerations
Some considerations for holding an unwanted medicine take-back event or starting a program.

List of Potential Partners
This will get you started finding organizations and corporations that can help you with various aspects of running a collection event, from funding to publicity to consulting support.

Northeast Recycling Council’s Operating Unwanted Medication Collections - A Legal & Safe Approach. This advisory from NERC provides advice on all stages of organizing collection events.

Regulatory Guidance for Organizers of Household Pharmaceutical Collections Events from Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources

Reference lists of controlled substances

1. Marshall County (IN) Solid Waste Management District created a controlled substances list to help identify medications dropped off at medicine collections (July 2005). To obtain an updated list, contact: Marshall County SWMD, 1900 Walter Glaub Drive, Plymouth, IN 46563, toll-free (800) 935-8618, Fax: (574) 935-8612, Email: mike@co.marshall.in.us, Internet: http://www.recycleyourtrash.org

2. U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) list of controlled substances (dated December 2009, downloaded in December 2009 from http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules
/orangebook/orangebook.pdf). The list is intended as a general reference and is not a comprehensive listing of all controlled substances.

U.S. National Unused and Expired Medicines Registry Reporting Forms
The 2004 Questionnaire for Returned Medications by Individual Donor© and Collection Event Return Form were created to help policy makers regarding pharmacy policy, patient education and safety, and prescribing options.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) (2006) Reverse Distributors Directory
This directory lists some companies that can accept unused/expired pharmaceuticals and hazardous wastes. Pharmacists may contact their local DEA Diversion Field Office for an updated list of those reverse distributors in their area. A map of field offices is available at http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/offices_n_dirs/fielddiv/index.html.