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CC - Item 4C - Letter to Support Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis in Support of a County Ordinance for Pharmaceuticals and Sharps Collection and Disposal E M f �° ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL PRIDE STAFF REPORT TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: JEFF ALLRED, CITY MANAGER DATE: FEBRUARY 9, 2016 SUBJECT: LETTER TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERVISOR HILDA SOLIS IN SUPPORT OF A COUNTY ORDINANCE FOR PHARMACEUTICALS AND SHARPS COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SUMMARY The City Council will consider a request by the Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management Task Force for a letter of support for a County ordinance regulating pharmaceutical and sharps collection and disposal. Staff Recommendation: That the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to Supervisor Hilda Solis in support of adoption of a County ordinance for pharmaceuticals and sharps collection and disposal. BACKGROUND The Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management Task Force has requested that the City Council send a letter to Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis requesting her support of a County ordinance to regulate pharmaceuticals and sharps collection and disposal within Los Angeles County. The County ordinance would establish a sustainably financed program to accommodate the needs of residents to safely dispose of discarded/unwanted sharps (e.g., hypodermic needles) and pharmaceutical drugs in an environmentally tenable manner. The proposed support letter also expresses interest in the City of Rosemead's future adoption of a similar ordinance following the lead of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Attached is the draft letter of support as well as communications received from the Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management Task Force urging such action. PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process. Attachments ITEM NO. 4.0 NIA1OR: City of ppsemead M RmR[T CE nn M.\\'OR PRO TEN: S A IA I 8838 F.VAI V ROLLEVARD P.0 BOX 399 (OLVUL SIE.MBENR; ciG� ROS PII0 CALIFORNIA 91990 M3111,00. I w imry �4'O""O TRLPI 6139 -)2I 369-1100 Ibiirlou 1.1X(6261397-9218 N .,151 February 1 2016 Hilda L. Solis, Chair Board of Supervisors County of Los Angeles Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration 500 West Temple Street, Room 383 Los Angeles. CA 90012 SUBJECT: LOS ANGELES COUNTY PHARMACEUTICALS AND SHARPS COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL STEWARDSHIP ORDINANCE— SUPPORT Dear Supervisor Solis: The City of Rosemead is in support of Los Angeles County's efforts to adopt an ordinance which would require the development of Stewardship Plans to address the collection and disposal of unwanted/unused pharmaceuticals and sharps waste generated by residents. The Ordinance is important because it establishes a sustainably financed program that will provide residents with a convenient means to safely dispose of unwanted sharps and pharmaceuticals and help to prevent them from entering the environment, reduce their availability for drug abuse and misuse, and reduce injuries associated with sharps being improperly disposed. With access to safe and convenient disposal options, as well as a robust outreach and education program residents will be more informed of the appropriate collection and disposal methods. The passage of this ordinance would ensure that manufacturers and producers of prescription and nonprescription drugs and sharps share in the responsibility of proper disposal of their products. Our City supports this shared responsibility approach and do not want the cost of managing these materials at the end of their life solely to come from local jurisdictions. We understand the County has conducted multiple stakeholder meetings which included representatives from the manufacturers and producers of these materials, retailers, pharmacies, consumer advocacy groups, environmental organizations, waste hauling industry, and others in order to develop the most effective Ordinance. Following adoption of the Ordinance by the Board, the City of Rosemead is interested in adopting a legal Ordinance so that our City's residents also have access to safe, convenient, and sustainably financed collection and disposal methods of pharmaceuticals and sharps. Sincerely, Margaret Clark Mayor CC: County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas Supervisor Sheila Kuehl Supervisor Don Knabe Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich Sachi A. Hamai, Chief Executive Officer Angelo J. Bellomo, APR Working Group fl' LOS ANGELES COUNTY A SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE/ er, INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE 900 SOUTH FREMONT AVENUE,ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA 91803-1331 P.O. BOX 1460,ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA 91802-1460 GAIL FARBER.CHAIR www.lacountyiswmtf.org MARGARET CLARK.VICE-CHAIR February 1, 2016 TO: All City Mayors, City Council Members, and City Managers in Los Angeles County URGENT REQUEST FOR LETTER TO SUPPORT LOS ANGELES COUNTY PHARMACEUTICALS AND SHARPS COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL STEWARDSHIP ORDINANCE —SUPPORT The Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management Task Force strongly urges every City Mayor, City Manager, and City Council Member to support the Los Angeles County Pharmaceuticals and Sharps Collection and Disposal Stewardship Ordinance. The Ordinance was drafted following the County Board of Supervisors' call for a feasibility study on such an ordinance in 2015 that followed a 2014 decision by the United States Supreme Court not to hear an appeal from the Pharmaceutical industry to oppose a similar ordinance adopted by Alameda County. Since then, several other counties and jurisdictions in the State have followed Alameda's example in adopting their ordinances. If enacted, the Los Angeles County Ordinance would require the development of Stewardship Plans to address the prescient need for the safe collection and disposal of unwanted/unused pharmaceuticals and sharps waste generated by County residents. The Ordinance would establish a sustainably financed program designed to accommodate the needs of residents to safely dispose of discarded/unwanted sharps and pharmaceuticals in an environmentally tenable manner. It would also serve to effectively intercept these items from being abused/misused while reducing unnecessary injuries resulting from contact with improperly disposed sharps, as well as the contraction and spread of harmful disease. Concurrently, the Ordinance would also ensure that producers and manufacturers assume a reasonably shared responsibility, in cost and otherwise, for safe and proper disposal at end of their products' life cycle. The County drafted the Ordinance after a concerted effort to bring together the many stakeholders who will be materially affected by its adoption, including manufacturers & producers, pharmacies, retailers, and several other interested groups, including environmental advocates. The Task Forced has forwarded a letter in support of the Ordinance to the Board of Supervisors. Enclosed you will find a draft template letter, also addressed to the Board that you may choose to fill in with your City's name and letterhead. This letter, or another of your own drafting, will serve as your city's voice in support of this urgent and imperative policy change in how pharmaceutical materials and sharps are managed in the County. February 1, 2016 Page 2 Pursuant to Chapter 3.67 of the Los Angeles County Code and the California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (Assembly Bill 939 [AB 939], as amended), the Task Force is responsible for coordinating the development of all major solid waste planning documents prepared for the County of Los Angeles and the 88 cities in Los Angeles County with a combined population in excess of ten million. Consistent with these responsibilities and to ensure a coordinated and cost-effective and environmentally sound solid waste management system in Los Angeles County, the Task Force also addresses issues impacting the system on a countywide basis. The Task Force membership includes representatives of the League of California Cities-Los Angeles County Division, County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, City of Los Angeles, waste management industry, environmental groups, the public, and a number of other governmental agencies. Should you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Mr. Mike Mohajer of the Task Force at MikeMohaiervahoo.com or at (909) 592-1147. Sincerely, ,,sso�e Q� Margaret Clark, Vice-Chair Los Angeles County Solid Waste Management Committee/ Integrated Waste Management Task Force and Mayor, City of Rosemead JJ:fm P'.\...\TF\TF\Letters12016\February\CountyEPROrdinance-RequestsupportfromCities Enc. cc: Governor Edmund G. Brown Assembly Member Das Williams Each member of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and Staff Each Member of the Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management Task Force Speaker Pro-Tempore Kevin Mullin Each member of the Senate Environmental Committee California State Association of Counties League of California Cities, Los Angeles Division California Product Stewardship Council San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments South Bay Cities Council of Governments Gateway Cities Council of Governments Westside Cities Council of Governments Each City Recycling Cordinator in Los Angeles County Each Member of the County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County S LOS ANGELES COUNTY fif,„ SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE/ INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE 900 SOUTH FREMONT AVENUE, ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA 91803-1331 P.O. BOX 1460, ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA 91802-1460 GAIL FARBER,CHAIR www.lacountyiswmtf.org MARGARET CLARK,VICE-CHAIR February 01, 2016 To: County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors Dear Supervisors: LOS ANGELES COUNTY PHARMACEUTICALS AND SHARPS COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL STEWARDSHIP ORDINANCE—SUPPORT The Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management Task Force (Task Force) is in support of Los Angeles County's efforts to adopt an ordinance which would require the development of Stewardship Plans to address the collection and disposal of unwanted/unused pharmaceuticals and sharps waste generated by residents. The Ordinance is important, because it establishes a sustainably financed program that will provide residents with a convenient means to safely dispose of unwanted sharps and pharmaceuticals and help to prevent them from entering the environment, reduce their availability for drug abuse and misuse, and reduce injuries associated with sharps being improperly disposed. With access to safe and convenient disposal options, as well as a robust outreach and education program residents will be more informed of the appropriate collection and disposal methods. The passage of this ordinance would ensure that manufacturers and producers of prescription and nonprescription drugs and sharps share in the responsibility of proper disposal of their products. The Task Force supports this shared responsibility approach and strongly opposes other proposed policy measures that would place the financial burden of managing these materials at the end of their life cycle solely upon local jurisdictions. We understand the County has conducted multiple stakeholder meetings which included representatives from the manufacturers and producers of these materials, retailers, pharmacies, consumer advocacy groups, environmental organizations, waste hauling industry, and others in order to develop the most effective Ordinance. Pursuant to Chapter 3.67 of the Los Angeles County Code and the California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (Assembly Bill 939 [AB 939], as amended), the Task Force is responsible for coordinating the development of all major solid waste planning documents prepared for the County of Los Angeles and the 88 cities in Los Angeles County with a combined population in excess of ten million. Consistent with these responsibilities and to ensure a coordinated and cost-effective and environmentally sound solid waste management system in Los Angeles County, the Task Force also County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors February 01, 2016 Page 2 addresses issues impacting the system on a countywide basis. The Task Force membership includes representatives of the League of California Cities-Los Angeles County Division, County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, City of Los Angeles, waste management industry, environmental groups, the public, and a number of other governmental agencies. For the reasons described above, the Task Force strongly urges the Board's support of the Los Angeles County Pharmaceuticals and Sharps Collection Disposal Ordinance. Concurrently, the Task Force welcomes a transparent process for this proposal and would appreciate inclusion thereof. Should you have any questions, please contact Mr. Mike Mohajer of the Task Force at MikeMohaier(ahyahoo.com or (909) 592-1147. Sincerely, ,,rre�t ¢ Margaret Clark, Vice-Chair Los Angeles County Solid Waste Management Committee/ Integrated Waste Management Task Force and Mayor, City of Rosemead JJ:kk P\eppub\EA\EA\TF\TF\Letters\201fi\February\County EPR Ordinance-Request of Support from BOS.tloc cc: County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas Supervisor Sheila Kuehl Supervisor Don Knabe Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich Sachi A. Hamai, Chief Executive Officer Angelo J. Bellomo, EPR Working Group California State Association of Counties California Product Stewardship Council San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments South Bay Cities Council of Governments Gateway Cities Council of Governments Westside Cities Council of Governments Each City Mayor, City Council Member, and City Manager in the County of Los Angeles Each City Recycling Cordinator in Los Angeles County Each Member of the County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County Each Member of the Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management Task Force