Santa Clara County installed eight medication collection bins, so as to increase the public health environment.
Here are five key points:
1. The county received the medication disposal bins as a result of $276,000 in funding from Santa Clara Valley Water District, County of Santa Clara, City of San José and California Product Stewardship Council.
2. The funds will pay for the installation of 50 bins throughout the county.
3. San José, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Cupertino, Los Altos, Santa Clara, Milpitas, San Martin and Gilroy all offer disposal locations.
4. This initiative is part of the "Don't Rush to Flush" campaign started in 2013, which encourages residents to throw away medications instead of flushing them.
5. The Santa Clara County's Safe Drug Disposal Ordinance places responsibility on manufacturers to offer residents safe disposal of medications.
"By using the bins, Santa Clara County residents are helping keep medications off the streets and out of the waterways," said Christine Flowers, program manager, California Product Stewardship Council.
