[Adopted 3-22-2011 by L.L. No. 18-2011]
A.
This Legislature
hereby finds and determines that Suffolk County has demonstrated a
commitment to protecting our environment and the health and safety
of County residents.
B.
This Legislature
also finds and determines that Suffolk County is located on a sole-source
aquifer which supplies the County's drinking water.
C.
The Legislature
also finds that Suffolk County is surrounded by three estuary systems
that include numerous harbors and bays that provide recreational and
commercial benefits to residents.
D.
This Legislature
further finds and determines that, in recent years, communities across
the nation, including New York City, have discovered trace amounts
of prescription and over-the-counter medications in their drinking
water.
E.
This Legislature
finds that these medications enter water supplies and coastal waters
through improper disposal methods which can directly introduce medications
into the water supply and surface waters or allow pills to degrade
in soil and enter groundwater systems.
F.
This Legislature
also finds that the long-term effects of exposure to these trace amounts
in humans is unknown. However, negative effects have been observed
in fish, frogs and turtles.
G.
This Legislature
determines that hospitals, nursing homes, hospice facilities and long-term
care facilities utilize large quantities of medications in providing
health services to those in need.
H.
This Legislature
also finds that these facilities should have an established protocol
for the safe disposal of unused and expired medications that protects
the County's drinking water supply and the County's rivers, estuaries,
bays and the ocean.
I.
This Legislature
also finds that the Environmental Protection Agency and New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation have issued protocols against
flushing unwanted pharmaceuticals.
J.
This Legislature
further finds that ensuring that these facilities have an established
policy for the safe disposal of unused and expired medications protects
the environment and County residents from any harm they may incur
from exposure to medications in the drinking water supply.
K.
Therefore,
the purpose of this article is to require all hospitals, nursing homes,
hospice facilities and long-term care facilities to annually establish
and file with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services a plan
for the safe disposal of unused and/or expired medications.
A.
All hospitals,
hospice facilities, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities located
in the County of Suffolk shall file with the Department of Health
Services a written plan for the safe disposal of unused and/or expired
medications. Such plan must establish the means by which the facility
will dispose of such medications in an environmentally safe manner
to prevent medications from entering the County's drinking water supply
and rivers, estuaries, bays and the ocean.
B.
In 2012,
each facility shall file its written medication disposal plan with
the Suffolk County Department of Health Services on or before June
30. Beginning in 2013, each facility shall file its written medication
disposal plan with the Department of Health Services by January 30
each year.
[Amended 3-13-2012 by L.L. No. 21-2012]
Failure to file a written medication disposal plan with the
Department of Health Services shall constitute a violation and shall
be punishable by a civil fine of $500.
This article shall be enforced by the Department of Health Services
in accordance with the procedures set forth in §§ 760-202
through 760-215 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code.
The Commissioner of the Department of Health Services is hereby
authorized and empowered to establish rules and regulations necessary
for the implementation of this article.
This article shall apply to all actions occurring on or after
the effective date of this article.
