Program News
- CalRecycle conducted a webinar on March 24, 2021 from 1:00-4:00pm to present requirements and timing for stewardship plan and initial program budget submittal. See infographic below for information about stewardship program timing.
- On January 7, 2021, the Office of Administrative Law approved the Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste Stewardship Regulations, after minor non-substantial edits were made, and forwarded them to the California Secretary of State for publishing. CalRecycle requested an early effective date, which was granted; therefore the regulations were effective immediately on January 7, 2021. The final regulatory text is published and available online.
- SB 212 (Jackson, Chapter 1004, Statutes of 2018) was approved by Governor Brown on September 30, 2018.
Text version of infographic timeline
Text version of Stewardship Program Implementation Timeline
- Certain dates on the timeline contain arrows. The arrows reflect the ability for dates to move into the future depending on:
- The duration of Board of Pharmacy's review prior to the program operator's stewardship plan submittal to CalRecycle;
- Potential stewardship plan resubmittals; and
- The time it may require CalRecycle to consult with other state agencies.
- The timeline starts with the regulations’ effective date of January 7, 2021. The six-month stewardship plan development phase begins.
- During the stewardship plan development phase, a program operator must submit its stewardship plan to Board of Pharmacy and other applicable agencies.
- CalRecycle’s 90-day review period starts when the program operator submits the stewardship plan to CalRecycle by July 7, 2021. This date has an arrow.
- CalRecycle completeness review by August 6, 2021. This date has an arrow.
- The 270-day Implementation phase starts with CalRecycle stewardship plan approval by October 5, 2021. This date has an arrow.
- Covered entities are subject to penalties if covered product is not subject to an approved stewardship plan by January 7, 2022.
- Program operator submits its first annual report to CalRecycle March 31, 2022.
- CalRecycle is required to post first list of compliant entities June 30, 2022.
- Stewardship plan fully implemented July 2, 2022. This date has an arrow.
Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste Stewardship
Why focus on Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste?
Unwanted and improperly managed pharmaceutical drugs and sharps present significant public health, safety, and environmental problems at the end of their useful lives. These include negative impacts to water quality, sanitation, and solid waste, hazards for recycling workers, and increased potential for accidental poisonings and abuse by persons for which the medication was not intended.
What is being done?
Governor Brown approved Senate Bill 212 (Jackson, Chapter 1004, Statutes of 2018) September 30, 2018 to establish safe and convenient disposal options
for pharmaceutical drug and home-generated sharps waste.
- Listserv: If you would like to receive periodic e-mail notifications about CalRecycle’s activities under SB 212, subscribe to CalRecycle’s Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste Stewardship Listserv. You can review previous messages by visiting the Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste Stewardship Listserv Archive.
- Public Notices: For public notices that relate to CalRecycle oversight of the Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste Stewardship Program (e.g., department decisions regarding regulations, plan approval, etc.) please visit the CalRecycle public notices page.
- Contact: Please contact pharmasharps@calrecycle.ca.gov for questions or more information.
- Board of Pharmacy Contact: Please contact BOPstewardship@dca.ca.gov for questions or to send information, pursuant to Section 42031 of the Public Resources Code.