• CalRecycle’s Acting Director approved the Proposed Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste Stewardship Program Regulations on September 30, 2020, and CalRecycle is preparing to submit the final regulatory package to the Office of Administrative Law as required per the Administrative Procedure Act.
• Please see the Pharmaceutical and Sharps Rulemaking page for CalRecycle’s latest SB 212 regulatory development efforts. 
• SB 212 (Jackson, Chapter 1004, Statutes of 2018) was approved by Governor Brown on September 30, 2018.

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. 

Rulemaking: Please see the Pharmaceutical and Sharps Rulemaking page for updates on the rulemaking process, including information about workshops, draft regulatory text, and other rulemaking documents. 

• 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.