Illinois e-News Release

SPRINGFIELD – In advance of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the Illinois EPA will host an information session to provide insight into how the new manufacturer-funded Medication Take Back Program will be implemented in Illinois. Earlier this year, Governor Pritzker signed HB 1780 into law creating the Drug Take Back Act, establishing the new program. The meeting will be held on Friday, October 28 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Packingtown Museum, 1400 West 46th Street in Chicago.

The new law marks a shift in the collection of unused and unwanted medications in Illinois. Traditionally, medication collections were available to residents through a patchwork of sites supported by the Illinois EPA, the Drug Enforcement Administration, pharmaceutical manufacturers, retailers, police departments, local government, and some not-for-profits. Beginning December 2023, drug manufacturers will be responsible for covering the costs to dispose of all medications collected as part of a centralized, statewide collection network that will be constructed.

Friday’s meeting will include a broad discussion of the new law’s implementation involving all impacted parties. It will include presentations from the Illinois Environmental Council regarding their work on the legislation. Illinois EPA representatives will speak on implementation expectations and how this law compares to other extended producer responsibility laws, such as the electronics recycling law. MED-Project will provide information on its work to conduct manufacturer-funded medication collections in other jurisdictions. Additionally, two existing collectors, the Cook County Sheriff’s Department and the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, will share their perspectives on the new program.

Under the new law, each county in Illinois is entitled to a minimum number of collection locations based on population. Collection locations could be at police departments, county health departments, or retail pharmacies, or could be one day collection events. The Illinois EPA is responsible for overseeing the drug manufacturers’ implementation of the program and, if necessary, pursuing enforcement for violations of the new law through the Office of the Attorney General.

The meeting Agenda can be found on the Illinois EPA website. For additional information, please contact Allison Fry at 217-524-3299 or [email protected]. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 29, 2022. Visit Illinois EPA’s Beyond the Bin Map for current locations.