{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-48-851.02","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 48-851.02","heading":"Safe disposal of unused pharmaceuticals.","body":"(a)\n(1)\nThe Board of Pharmacy shall design a public education campaign to educate individuals on:\n(A)\nThe importance of promptly disposing of unused pharmaceuticals to avoid accidental overdoses, medication errors, and household drug theft;\n(B)\nHow disposing of pharmaceuticals by flushing them into the public sewer system or throwing them in the trash can be harmful to the environment and can contaminate the drinking water supply; and\n(C)\nHow to dispose of unused pharmaceuticals in a safe and environmentally sound manner.\n(2)\nEach retail pharmacy licensed in the District of Columbia shall implement the public education campaign as required by the Board of Pharmacy.\n\n(b)\n(1)\nBy July 1, 2010, the Board of Pharmacy shall make recommendations to the Mayor regarding the establishment of a program to enable consumers to dispose of unused pharmaceuticals, including controlled substances, in a safe and environmentally sound manner.\n(2)\nIn developing recommendations, the Board of Pharmacy shall give consideration to a mail-in program that:\n(A)\nUtilizes prepaid mailing envelopes that allow an individual to mail unused pharmaceuticals to a single collection location approved for all pharmaceuticals including controlled substances;\n(B)\nDistributes the prepaid mailing envelopes to the public at various locations, including to all retail pharmacies;\n(C)\nProvides for the collected pharmaceuticals to be disposed of in a manner that is:\n(i)\nSafe;\n(ii)\nSecure;\n(iii)\nEnvironmentally sound; and\n(iv)\nIn compliance with District and federal environmental requirements; and\n(D)\nRandomly assesses the toxicity of pharmaceuticals received; provided, that the assessment results do not identify the:\n(i)\nPatient;\n(ii)\nPerson who mailed the material;\n(iii)\nPrescriber; or\n(iv)\nPharmacy.","path":["Title 48. Foods and Drugs.","Chapter 8F. Safe Disposal of Unused Pharmaceuticals."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/48-851.02","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"512e65f713cefa90c77767f231ce8f8981b531f097f62c5ae175944cf3abb3cf","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-48-851.01","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-48-851.03"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}