2013 Annual Report Issued for Sharps and Pharmaceuticals Extended Producer Responsibility Programs in Ontario - 543 Tonnes Collected

OTTAWA, April 30, 2014 /CNW/ - Health Products Stewardship Association (HPSA) is pleased to announce the release of the first Annual Report for the Ontario Sharps Collection Program and the Ontario Medications Return Program. The two programs are the first and only extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs to be regulated under the Ontario Environmental Protection Act and are administered by HPSA on behalf of the health products industry.

In the first full calendar year of operation of the programs, 331 tonnes of unused or expired medications and 212 tonnes of sharps were returned by consumers to HPSA registered collection locations. HPSA also distributed thousands of free sharps containers to consumers through participating retail pharmacies. In total, 543 tonnes of medications and sharps generated in households in Ontario were returned by the public for secure and responsible disposal.

HPSA has built an extensive network of 3,347 collection locations to ensure easy access for consumers and has exceeded the 90% target for collection locations under Regulation 298/12. According to HPSA Executive Director Ginette Vanasse, "Pharmacies serve as ideal collection locations for expired or unused medications and used sharps generated at home. The knowledge and participation of pharmacists ensures the public has a safe and convenient way to properly dispose of medical products they no longer need." HPSA also launched an extensive promotion and education campaign for participating pharmacies and consumers as required by the regulation.

The HPSA publications "Don't Throw it Out", for your unused or expired medications, and "Take it Back", for your used sharps, encourages Ontarians to participate and dispose of their medical products properly. Visit www.healthsteward.ca for these publications and to find the collection location nearest to you.

About the Health Products Stewardship Association

The Health Products Stewardship Association is a not-for-profit industry stewardship organization established in 1999. HPSA was formed to provide the health product industries with a collective means for managing their EPR obligations under regulated programs in British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario. HPSA and the programs it administers are funded entirely by the producers of medical products in participating industries.

SOURCE: Health Products Stewardship Association

For more information about the Ontario Sharps Collection Program or the Ontario Medications Return Program visit "www.healthsteward.ca" or contact: Ginette Vanasse, HPSA Executive Director, at 613-723-7282.