Ontario Medication Returns Program

This Message is brought to you by: Adrian Landry, Director of Operations, Health Products Stewardship Association.

As the Director of Operations for the Health Products Stewardship Association (www.healthsteward.ca), I would like to suggest some additional information to your municipality’s website, specifically to the section on waste as it relates to Pharmaceuticals and Medical Sharps.

Our organization administers the Ontario Medication Returns Program (OMRP) and the Ontario Sharps Collection Program (OSCP), both offered through a very large network of community pharmacies across the province.  

Through the OMRP, any member of the public can return unused or expired medications or health products directly back to the pharmacy. The OSCP offers members of the public an approved sharps container for medical sharps and needles, this container can be retrieved at your local pharmacy. 

Both of these programs are completely free to the public as they are funded by the producers.

Our programs and our network already exist and operate in your community.  Pharmacists have the expertise to handle these waste streams thus reducing the risk to your municipal and depot workers.  Our programs provide a safe and proper disposal, diverting pharmaceuticals and sharps away from landfills.  Furthermore, redirecting these waste streams to our network will reduce your risks and costs in managing them.

Could you please update the information on your website to ensure your residents are better aware of these programs in their community? I am attaching two pieces of public education about our programs.  You are welcome to use them on your site.  I am proposing some bullets points to include in the revised sections:

• The Health Products Stewardship Association operates programs locally through participating pharmacies to collect these products.
• Visit your local participating pharmacy to return these products.  Find the one nearest you by visitingwww.healthsteward.ca or by downloading the Recyclepedia App on your device.
• Pharmaceuticals/medications/prescription drugs and medical sharps are household hazardous waste and should not be placed in the regular garbage collection.

We also recommend that you visit the websites of the following municipalities who already direct these waste streams to our programs:

• http://www.orillia.ca/en/livinginorillia/householdhazardouswastedepot.asp
• http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/aboutTheEnvironment/other-recycling-programs.asp
• http://www.thunderbay.ca/Living/Environment/Recycling_and_Waste_Management/Household_Hazardous_Waste.htm