MWRD still financing drug disposal, despite state law requiring pharmaceutical companies to front costs

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District delayed approving its annual payment to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office for a drug take-back program.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District spends approximately $80,000 annually on its pharmaceutical disposal program to prevent medications from contaminating the water supply. Pharmaceutical companies, however, are required to cover that expense.

The Drug Take-Back Act, effective Dec. 1, 2023, requires pharmaceutical companies to fund one prescription drug disposal box for every 50,000 residents in each county. Despite this, the District still pays $80,000 annually to run a take-back program with the county sheriff.

“The law’s been in effect for one year. It’s time for us to pass this cost back to Big Pharma where it belongs,” Commissioner Cameron Davis said. “It’s also time to not keep the burden on the shoulders of our taxpayers.”

Commissioners Precious Brady-Davis and Sharon Waller raised concerns about a lapse in coverage if the District did not approve the funding. 

“The pharmaceutical companies should be stepping up and putting more of this bill, but I would like to make that request in a way that is not going to cause gaps of coverage or break alliances with the Sheriff’s Department,” Waller said. 

The board postponed the item until its next meeting to consider stopgap funding or whether to seek a reimbursement from pharmaceutical companies.

Official business 

Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance directing the Cook County Clerk’s Office to reduce the tax levy filed with its office on Capital Improvement Bonds for 2024, requesting a $9,568,561 abatement.