CRD seeks alternative to flushing pet medicines

Suggests return program be expanded

People should be able to return unused or expired veterinary medications, in the same way they do other medications, say members of the Capital Regional District environmental services committee.

The committee is recommending CRD chairwoman Barb Desjardins write to Environment Minister George Heyman asking for an amendment to the B.C. Recycling Regulation to allow the collection of household veterinary medications under the B.C. Medications Return Program.

With the goal of keeping expired or unused medications from being flushed, the CRD has long promoted the B.C. Medications Return Program.

CRD staff say the initiative has seen a 400 per cent increase in the annual amount of medications returned to participating pharmacies in the region since 2007.

But, staff say that in the past four years, returns have stabilized at about 11 tonnes of medications per year.

If the program were expanded to include veterinary medications, it might capture greater amounts.

CRD staff say there would be no increased cost to either the region or directly to consumers or pharmacies.

Medication manufacturers and distributors pay into a fund to support the medications return program and that would likely apply to veterinary medications.

Veterinary clinics must hire hazardous waste management companies to dispose of their own waste medications, says a staff report.

Should the regulation be amended, costs to clinics could be reduced as residents dispose of their waste medications at participating pharmacies, staff say.