Contact: Julia Wagner, PSI Marketing and Communications Manager, julia@productstewardship.us; (617)-236-4855
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – October in Oklahoma is an opportune time to rid your home of leftover medicine and used medical sharps, according to a public health campaign that launched October 12. The campaign, which is run by the Oklahoma Meds and Sharps Disposal Committee (OMSDC) with the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) aims to provide Oklahomans with information about safe disposal practices, connect residents with convenient disposal programs, and raise awareness about the reasons safe disposal is important.
More than 100,000 Oklahoma residents use medical sharps, such as needles and syringes, to self-administer medications, generating up to 60 million used needles annually. Improper disposal of these needles, whether flushed or trashed, results in environmental contamination and poses significant health risks to trash haulers, sewage plant operators and the public.
“In addition to the public health and environmental risks, medical sharps that are thrown in the trash pose a safety hazard to sanitation workers,” said Patrick Riley, Environmental Programs Manager for Solid Waste and Sustainability at the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). “We know that safe collection sites are needed, and these take-back programs are an effective way of accomplishing safer disposal.”
Used medicines are another water quality and public safety concern. The U.S. EPA reports that flushed medications create as much as 2,300 tons of hazardous waste annually and can pollute drinking water and harm aquatic animals. Additionally, throwing medication in the trash increases the risk that they are abused or accidentally ingested by pets and children.
On October 26, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will host National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, a twice-per-year nationwide event that provides opportunities to safely dispose of unwanted medications. The website has a take-back event locator.
Many communities in Oklahoma will host collection events on October 26 in conjunction with DEA’s take-back day, and in the weeks before and after. The following locations offer opportunities to dispose of used medical sharps and leftover medication:
- October 19, 2024 – Broken Arrow Trash Bash and Recycling Rally
Location: Broken Arrow Maintenance Center, 1700 W Detroit St, Broken Arrow, OK 74012
Accepts: Medical Sharps
Hours: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Contact: Galea Albano, (918) 313-6996; galbano@brokenarrowok.gov
- October 26, 2024 – Cleveland County
Locations:
Cleveland County Health Department, 424 S Eastern Ave, Moore, OK 73160
Cleveland County Health Department, 250 12th Ave NE, Norman, OK 73071
Norman Veterans Home, 1776 E. Robinson, Norman, OK 73071
Absentee Shawnee Tribe Little Axe Health Center, 15951 Little Axe Dr., Norman, OK 73026
Accepts: Medications and medical sharps
Hours: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Contact: Emma Rauser, Emma.Rauser@health.ok.gov
- November 1, 2024 – Duncan, Oklahoma Prescription Take-Back
Location: Goodwill, HWY 81, Duncan, OK
Accepts: Medications
Hours: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Contact: Gina Olheiser, golheiser@wmpn.org
- Additional bi-annual events can be found on the OMSDC website.
If you can’t make it to these events, year-round take-back sites may also be available in your area. OMSDC’s interactive take-back site map identifies locations throughout Oklahoma where residents can safely dispose of medical sharps and medications. The map, developed by PSI and OMSDC to increase convenience for Oklahomans, also includes relevant information, including what items the location accepts, the business hours, and contact information.
“The Cleveland County Health Improvement Plan Substance Abuse Community Coalition is excited to offer the much-needed opportunity to safely dispose of sharps and medications at four central locations this fall,” said Emma Rauser, Health Educator Lead for Cleveland County Health Department & The Well. “In April 2024, we collected over 326 pounds of sharps, thanks to grant funding from DEQ, technical support from PSI, and resounding participation from the community. We are happy to do it again this month in collaboration with the DEA National Drug Take Back Day.”
“SHOTS extends our gratitude to PSI, DEQ, and OMSDC for their support in our third year of collecting sharps,” said Jennifer Sharp, SHOTS Executive Director. “SHOTS collected 631 pounds of sharps waste at our last event in Tulsa, and we remain committed to promoting responsible sharps disposal practices to ensure a cleaner, safer environment.”
Resources
Anybody who wants to participate in the campaign and spread awareness about safe disposal in Oklahoma is encouraged to share the message on social media. Graphics and sample captions are available on the pharmaceuticals and medical sharps pages of the OMSDC website.
If you want to start a sharps collection program in your community, OMSDC and PSI have a guide for that, too. Establishing Community Medical Sharps Programs: A Guide for Municipalities, Pharmacies, Health Clinics, and Nonprofits in Oklahoma contains information on different types of programs, criteria for designing a program, cost estimates, vendor options, and best practices.
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Product Stewardship Institute (PSI)
PSI is a policy expert and consulting nonprofit that pioneered product stewardship in the United States — the bedrock of the circular economy. Since 2000, PSI has helped enact 141 extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws across 20 product categories in 33 states. PSI works with governments, businesses, academia, and environmental groups to ensure that products are responsibly managed from design to end of life. Join us at www.productstewardship.us.
The Oklahoma Meds & Sharps Disposal Committee (OMSDC)
The OMSDC is a coalition of professionals working on a statewide solution for the safe disposal of medical sharps and leftover pharmaceuticals for Oklahoma residents. Funded by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality with facilitation and technical support from the Product Stewardship Institute, the committee meets periodically to share information and to develop solutions. www.oksafemeddisposal.org