San Mateo County Grand Jury
• 2008-2009
Issue | Background | Findings | Conclusions | Recommendations | Responses | Attachments San Mateo County’s
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 9 findings
F1
The Pharmaceutical Disposal Program (Disposal Program) offers a convenient and low cost alternative to flushing pills and medicinal liquids, human or veterinary, into the wastewater stream and the environment.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
The program has thus far diverted over 7.25 tons of potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals from the street and from potential environmental contamination.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
There are no disposal bins in Brisbane, Colma, East Palo Alto, La Honda, Half Moon Bay, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, or Woodside.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Expand the Disposal Program throughout the County by working with local jurisdictions to establish the program in all appropriate law enforcement locations.
F4
Marketing efforts to inform citizens of San Mateo County’s pharmaceutical disposal sites have been minimal.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Develop a marketing plan to promote the Pharmaceutical Disposal Program (Disposal Program) at the pharmaceutical dispensing sources throughout the County including pharmacies, doctor offices, hospitals, medical centers, veterinary clinics, senior centers, and retail outlets.
F5
The Disposal Program is monitored primarily by tracking the total number of pounds collected and disposed of by the contractor.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
Currently, the South San Francisco Blue Line Transfer station collects sharps, and plans are underway to also collect them in Pescadero, Ox Mountain, San Carlos Transfer Station, and Tower Road. Four Fire departments in San Mateo County collect sharps. As of January 2009, all hospitals are required to take sharps back from patients and dispose of them with their regular hazardous waste stream disposal.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Expand the Disposal Program to include a separate container for sharps at the same drop- off locations.
F7
The Disposal Program is governed by current federal laws and state regulations especially those pertaining to collection and disposal of controlled substances.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
County law enforcement experts firmly believe that removal of otherwise unchecked pharmaceutical drugs from potential illegal uses will have a positive result in decreasing drug use countywide.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
Manufacturers of pharmaceuticals do not collect and dispose of their unused and expired consumer products. Conclusions The 2008-2009 San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury concludes that:
Related Recommendations (2)
R3
Explore development of a pharmacy take-back option for unused pharmaceuticals in partnership with pharmaceutical manufacturers.
R5
Adopt a resolution in support of HR 1191 and other federal and state legislation that encourages the appropriate disposal of unused pharmaceuticals. Footnotes: 1 Buxton, Herbert T. and Kolpin, Dana W. Pharmaceuticals, Hormones, and Other Organic Wastewater Contaminants in U.S. Streams, USGA Fact Sheet FS-027-02, June, 2002 2 North, Karin D., Keeping Surface Waters Drug Free: The New Water Quality Challenge, League of California Cities Magazine, July, 2005 3 Addiction Treatment Resources for Teens and Young Adults, www.drugrehabtreatment,com 4 Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Preventing Teen Abuse of Prescription Drugs-Fact Sheet, 2009 5Sollitto, Marlo, Editor, Seniors and Prescription Drug Addiction, Agingcare.com 6 SMMC Accidental Poisoning Cases report 2005-2008 7 Law enforcement agencies currently participating in the Disposal Program include Atherton, Belmont, Burlingame, Daly City, Hillsborough, Millbrae, Pacifica, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo (also serves Foster City), South San Francisco, plus the Sheriff’s offices in Redwood City and Moss Beach (also serves El Granada). U. S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Agency, Title 21, United States Code [USC], Controlled Substances Act 6 San Mateo County’s Pharmaceutical Disposal Program Report
Conclusions 6
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CL1 Page 4The San Mateo County Pharmaceutical Program (Disposal Program) offers the public, with its 13 drop-off sites, a convenient, cost-effective, safe and secure alternative to the disposal of pharmaceuticals.
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CL2 Page 4The Disposal Program is limited by current federal laws and state regulations especially those pertaining to the collection and disposal of controlled substances.
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CL3 Page 4All communities in the County should participate in this worthwhile program because of the success of the 13 participating cities.
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CL4 Page 4The Disposal Program to date has collected more than seven tons of unused pharmaceuticals despite minimal marketing efforts to increase public awareness.
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CL5 Page 4The Disposal Program would be more effective if it included the collection of sharps.
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CL6 Page 4Manufacturers of pharmaceuticals make no effort to take responsibility for the collection and disposal of their unused or expired consumer products. 4
No Responses Found 2
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
County of San Mateo
Agency
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office