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RESOLUTION NO. 4 5 4 7
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
AUBURN, WASHINGTON, SUPPORTING A SECURE,
CONVENIENT MEDICINE RETURN PROGRAM TO
ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY AND REDUCE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF UNWANTED MEDICINES
WHEREAS, drug overdose deaths have increased so as to surpass car
accidents as the leading cause of accidental deaths in Washington State, and 40% of
poisoning deaths involve prescription opioid pain relievers; and
WHEREAS, abuse of prescription pain killers ranks second, only behind
marijuana, as the Nation's most prevalent illegal drug problem; and
WHEREAS, abuse of medicines by teenagers is a growing problem, including
abuse of prescription drugs such as painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs, and
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications, as well as over-the-counter
drugs, such as cough and cold remedies; and
WHEREAS, over half of the people using prescription drugs for non-medical
reasons obtained them from a friend or relative for free, and 15% of 10th graders in
Washington who abused prescription pain relievers got them from their own home or
someone else's home without permission; and
WHEREAS, unwanted medicines left in the home could increase opportunities
for drug abuse, drug diversion, and accidental poisonings, and
WHEREAS, unwanted medicines disposed to sanitary sewer systems are not
completely treated by the wastewater treatment facilities, allowing pharmaceuticals to
be released into the environment; and
Resolution No. 4547
December 14, 2009
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WHEREAS, disposal of unwanted medicines to residential garbage is not secure
and medicines in solid waste systems may end up in landfill leachate, which is pumped ,
to wastewater treatment facilities, eventually allowing pharmaceuticals to be released
into the environment; and
WHEREAS, pharmaceuticals have been detected in the surface waters of
Washington State and around the United States and in the drinking water of 24 major
metropolitan areas affecting 41 million Americans; and
WHEREAS, the number and volume of pharmaceuticals prescribed to U.S.
residents has increased dramatically in the past decade with Washington State
residents now purchasing-an average of 9 prescriptions per year, resulting in greater
accumulations in Washington State homes, and
WHEREAS, unused or unwanted quantities of prescription and over-the-counter
medicines are projected to be substantial, with some studies estimating that between
30% and 80% of patients do not finish commonly prescribed medicines such as pain
medicines, antibiotics, and beta blockers; and
WHEREAS, a pilot medicine return project operating in Washington State since
October of 2006 by Group Health Cooperative and Bartell Drugs has collected more
than 27,000 pounds of unwanted household pharmaceuticals, demonstrating the
demand and feasibility of such a system; and
WHEREAS, sheriff and police offices in several Washington counties and cities
are operating drug take-back programs that collect and dispose of legally prescribed
controlled substances; and
Resolution No. 4547
December 14, 2009
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WHEREAS, communities are struggling to implement and finance programs to
address the public safety impacts of leftover medicines in resident's homes and the
environmental impacts of improper disposal of unwanted medicines; and
WHEREAS, pharmaceutical manufacturers currently operate and fund successful
drug take-back systems in Canada and several countries in Europe.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE. CITY OF AUBURN,
WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVES as follows:
Section 1. That the City Council of the City of Auburn supports adoption of
"secure medicine return" legislation that would establish a convenient, safe, secure, and
environmentally sound medicine return program for unwanted medicines from
households through an internalized pharmaceutical manufacturer financing mechanism
that covers the cost of collection, transportation, and hazardous waste disposal, and
does not rely on state and local government funding; and the City Council encourages
those agencies and entities that can assist to establish and implement such a program
to work together to do so.
Section 2. That the Mayor is authorized to implement such administrative
procedures as may be necessary to carry out the directives of this legislation.
Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect and be in full force upon
passage and signatures hereon.
Dated and Signed this ZIP day of , 2009.
TY O URN
PE R B. LEWIS, MAYOR
Resolution No. 4547
December 14, 2009
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ATTEST:
Danielle E. Daskam, City Clerk
APP ED TO FO M:
niel B. d tit Atto ney.,
Resolution No. 4547
December 14, 2009
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