San Francisco's streets are a little cleaner and its children a tad safer, thanks to the city's aggressive push to get residents to dump their old meds correctly. Since 2017, more than 140,000 pounds of unused prescription drugs have been kept out of the wrong hands with the help of the Safe Medicine Disposal Program, the city's website reported. The program, first championed by Mayor London Breed in 2015, offers San Franciscans convenient and free options to discard unwanted and expired medicines.
In a statement on the San Francisco government's website, Mayor Breed emphasized the program's goals, "In championing the passage of this landmark ordinance in 2015, my aim was to address the immediate dangers posed by unused medications while promoting a culture of care and responsibility throughout our City." The initiative seems to be working as intended — keeping prescription drugs off our streets, and out of the landfill and, thus, the environment.
Residents have taken advantage of the program through a bevy of 62 collection kiosk locations and 164 mail-back envelope distribution sites, plus periodic one-day disposal events. The program is aimed at preventing child accidental poisoning, environmental contamination, and curbing the potential of medications being mistakenly consumed or used illegally. "Residents can drop off unwanted medications when they go to pick up their prescriptions," said Tyrone Jue, Director of the Environment Department, in the city's announcement.
Throughout the city, including at all San Francisco Police Stations and various hospitals and retail pharmacies, San Franciscans can drop their expired and unwanted medicines in collection kiosks. "We are committed to keeping illegal drugs off our streets – including unused pharmaceuticals that can be sold on the black market," SFPD Chief Bill Scott told the city's website.
Since flushing or tossing old meds can lead to contamination of local water sources and harm to wildlife, the program is lauded by environmentalists as well. "It's impressive that so many residents are using the disposal stations and taking action to protect our local environment in a meaningful way," said Sejal Choksi-Chugh, Executive Director of San Francisco Baykeeper, per the city's official news release. For those wanting to find a disposal kiosk or request a mail-back envelope, simply visit the San Francisco Environment Department's locator map online.
