New Law Regarding the Disposal of Pharmaceuticals Will Impact Illinois Healthcare Providers

Effective January 1, 2010, public and private health care institutions operating in Illinois are prohibited from disposing of unused medications into public wastewater collection systems or septic systems. The Safe Pharmaceutical Disposal Act targets a wide range of health care providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, residential health care facilities, home health care facilities, hospice programs, mental health facilities, and agencies providing services to persons with developmental disabilities.

The Act mandates that covered entities develop policies and procedures to ensure their compliance in the disposal of pharmaceuticals, including modification of written medication protocols.

Unused medications covered by the law include any unopened, expired or excess medication in solid form dispensed for patient or resident care. Exceptions apply to medications in intravenous fluids, syringes and/or transdermal patches. Each violation is subject to a $500 fine.