What's happening
This bill requires New York to create and maintain a regularly updated online listing of prescription drug disposal sites and events statewide.
Why it matters
Expands public access to safe drug disposal information. By centralizing disposal site and event details online, the bill makes it significantly easier for New Yorkers to find safe, legal ways to get rid of unused or expired medications, potentially reducing accidental misuse or diversion.
Addresses public health and environmental risks. Increased awareness and access to disposal options can help prevent pharmaceuticals from being flushed or improperly discarded, protecting water supplies and local ecosystems from contamination.
Engages multiple stakeholders. Pharmacies, manufacturers, wholesalers, law enforcement, and local governments are all able—and expected—to contribute up-to-date information, improving the completeness and accuracy of the resource.
Promotes ongoing awareness. The requirement for state agencies to develop and distribute informational materials means ongoing public education efforts, which could help shift consumer behavior toward safer disposal habits over time.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
List All Drug Drop-Offs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 59–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.200
- Referred to health
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to health
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 63–0
Show 2 earlier actions
- Ordered to third reading cal.2084
- Referred to rules
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
List Drug Disposal Sites
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6673
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 12, 2017
Introduced by Sen. HANNON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to a statewide listing of drug disposal sites and events
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by added a new section 3343-c to read as follows:
§ 3343-c. Drug disposal sites and events; statewide listings. The department, in consultation with the department of environmental conservation shall create, maintain and update regularly, a statewide webbased listing of all controlled substance and other prescription drug disposal sites, events, and other disposal options, available for consumers, including those provided by pharmacies, manufacturers, wholesalers, law enforcement agencies, local governments and other entities. Such web-based listing shall at a minimum be available on both the department's and the department of environmental conversation's websites, and shall enable consumers to search for drug disposal options by zip code. It shall also enable pharmacies, manufacturers, wholesalers, law enforcement agencies, local governments and other entities to submit information on disposal sites, events, and other options to be included on the website listing. The department and the department of environmental conservation shall also develop and publish informational materials promoting the web-based listing. The web-based listing shall be made available within one hundred twenty days of the effective date of this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13101-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to a statewide listing of drug disposal sites and events
Purpose
To direct the Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation to establish a statewide web-listing of drug disposal sites, events and other disposal options in the state.
Summary of provisions
Section one amends the Public Health law to create a new section 3343-c which requires the DOH in consultation with the DEC to create, maintain and update regularly, a statewide web-based listing of all controlled substances and other prescription drug disposal sites, events and other disposal options for consumers. The site shall be searchable by zip code.
Section two provides an effective date.
Justification
Chapter 79 of the Laws of 2015 allowed pharmacies and other Drug Enforcement Administration authorized collectors to collect unused controlled substances in New York. This was an important first step in making it easier for people to take back their unused medications and helping to get dangerous unwanted opioid medications out of peoples' medicine cabinets. However, much more aggressive efforts are needed to address opioid addiction and consumers need to be provided with tools to easily find out where they can return unused and unwanted medications.
While getting unneeded controlled substances disposed of is important, all pharmaceutical medications should be disposed of properly to ensure that they do not end up inappropriately in our water and environment. Encouraging and facilitating the safe and appropriate disposal of all prescription medications is very important.
This bill requires the DOH and the DEC to make information regarding controlled substances and other prescription drug disposal sites, events and other disposal options more readily available to consumers such that they are aware of the existing options if they would like to get rid of unwanted or unused controlled substances or other prescription drugs. The website would be searchable by zip code and those providing take back options to the public could provide information for display on the website. Requiring the DOH and the DEC to make this information available on a web-based listing would give the state another tool in the fight against prescription drug abuse and environmental protection.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.