To mark this milestone, HPSA is partnering with Pharmasave for a special Medications Take-Back Day on November 25th in British Columbia.
The Health Products Stewardship Association (HPSA), leading steward of the return and disposal of health products in Canada, is proud to celebrate its 25-year anniversary.
In 1999―following discussions with British Columbia provincial environment ministries, pharmacy associations, and Health Canada―pharmaceutical manufacturers came together to create an industry-funded, not-for-profit stewardship organization. Their goal was to provide a safe, convenient, and environmentally responsible way for the return and disposal of unwanted health products. Launched under the Recycling Regulations, the B.C. Medications Program was the first of its kind in Canada.
The program established its collection site network with pharmacies across the province and developed an operational service model to ensure the safe collection and incineration of medications to prevent misuse and environmental contamination. It is important to never flush, pour down the sink, or throw medications in the trash — these actions can harm your family, pets, community, and the environment.
After the successful launch of the program, it was expanded into other provinces based on regulation requirements. In response to this growth in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the founding members of the program formalized a national structure under the name of Health Products Stewardship Association (HPSA).
HPSA is honouring our 25th anniversary in a few ways. The organization has identified 40 collection location pharmacies that have been with HPSA since the launch of the original program. As a token of appreciation for their 25-year commitment, HPSA has planted a tree for each of the collection locations in B.C. in their honour, through A Living Tribute Canada.
Pharmasave was an early supporter of HPSA’s vision, representing 29 of the initial 40 pharmacy collection locations. In partnership with Pharmasave, HPSA will hold a Take-Back Day event in B.C. on November 25th where we’re asking consumers to drop off their unwanted medications at the 44 participating pharmacies for proper disposal. As part of the celebration, an event will take place in Vancouver at the Pharmasave Mount Pleasant (2140 Main St.) from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Together we can protect communities and the environment.
“Celebrating 25 years of impact is an incredible milestone, but we wouldn’t be here today without the support of our members, pharmacies, and the Canadian public,” said Delphine Lagourgue, HPSA President and CEO. “As we continue to execute our strategy and work towards achieving our goals, we look forward to enhancing consumer participation, improving accessibility, and promoting the safe disposal of health products.”
“Pharmasave is proud to celebrate HPSA’s 25th anniversary and its longstanding impact in providing consumers with safe and convenient options to return unused medications,” said Christine Antler, Pharmasave’s Regional Director of Operations and Professional Affairs. “From the very beginning, Pharmasave has been a committed partner in this important stewardship initiative. We are proud that 29 of the 40 pharmacies that were original HPSA participants were Pharmasave pharmacies. Today, this initiative has grown and Pharmasave owners across the province and country champion medication take-back programs to protect our communities and the environment. We look forward to building on this legacy together with HPSA.”
HPSA, in partnership with community pharmacies, manages programs for the return of medications and medical sharps in six provinces: British Columbia (medications only), Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and Quebec. Working on behalf of health product manufacturers, HPSA plays a critical role in operating health product take-back programs to ensure public safety and environmental protection.
Since its inception, HPSA has collected and disposed of more than 5.5 million kilograms of medications, over 4 million kilograms of medical sharps, and set up over 8 thousand collection sites nationally. Participating membership of 188 reflects a growing commitment among producers to take responsibility for the end-of-life management of their products.