A call to action to New Brunswickers

Bring back your unwanted medications and used medical sharps

Fredericton, NB - Today, Health Products Stewardship Association (HPSA) and Recycle NB announced a new program for New Brunswickers to return unwanted medications and used medical sharps to participating collection locations.

“Proper disposal of unwanted medications protects our environment and our communities. Since our inception in 1999, we’ve diverted nearly five million kilograms of medications and about three million kilograms of medical sharps from improper disposal,” says Terri Drover, HPSA's President and CEO. “Now, with New Brunswick joining us, these numbers will increase even faster.

HPSA is a non-profit association that helps producers fulfill their stewardship obligations by operating free take-back programs to dispose of unwanted medications and used medical sharps safely. HPSA has programs in Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and now in New Brunswick. With this new partnership, five provinces across the country are working to promote the proper disposal of unwanted medications and used medical sharps.

“We are proud to partner with HPSA to oversee this important program that supports making our province cleaner and our communities safer,” says Frank LeBlanc, CEO of Recycle NB. “Establishing a network of collection locations around the province will make it easy and convenient for New Brunswickers to return these products, where they will be disposed of safely and responsibly. The more we can do to help ensure harmful products and contaminants stay out of our landfills and our ecosystem, the better an environment and a future we can create for all.”

Community pharmacies, acting as collection locations across the province, will offer consumers to return, free of charge, their unwanted medications and used sharps. New Brunswickers can visit the HPSA website www.healthsteward.ca to enter their postal code to find the nearest collection location.

“The improper disposal of unwanted medications and used medical sharps can have detrimental effects on public health and safety, and the environment,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Gary Crossman. “This program ensures safe and environmentally responsible management and disposal of these products and will allow New Brunswickers to do their part to help protect the environment, no matter where they live.”

The program is designed to provide services in both urban and rural areas. It will extend knowledge and solutions for sustainable and safe disposal of unwanted medications and used medical sharps.

“This accessible, free program will play an essential role as we all work together to build a healthier and safer New Brunswick,” said Health Minister Bruce Fitch. "Properly disposing of unwanted medications and used medical sharps not only protects our loved ones and others from potential harm but also protects our environment.”

The program started early this year, and HPSA already has 65 percent of pharmacies participating as collection locations across New Brunswick, with about 154 pharmacies registered out of 236, with more signing on daily.

“As pharmacists and local collection locations, we are proud to offer this program at New Brunswick pharmacies,” says Paul Bowman, President of the New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association. “Every day, we provide medications to people who need them to manage their health. This program ensures the end-of-use of unwanted medications and used medical sharps is also considered and that we are taking every step available to protect our environment and our public health.”

HPSA is launching a social media public awareness campaign later this month asking New Brunswickers to return unwanted medications and used medical sharps to a collection location near them. For more information, visit www.healthsteward.ca.