(1)(a) At least one hundred twenty days prior to submitting a proposal under RCW 69.48.050, a program operator must notify potential authorized collectors of the opportunity to serve as an authorized collector for the proposed drug take-back program. A program operator must commence good faith negotiations with a potential authorized collector no later than thirty days after the potential authorized collector expresses interest in participating in a proposed program.

(b) A person or entity may serve as an authorized collector for a drug take-back program voluntarily or in exchange for compensation, but nothing in this chapter requires a person or entity to serve as an authorized collector.

(c) A drug take-back program must include as an authorized collector any retail pharmacy, hospital or clinic with an on-site pharmacy, or law enforcement agency that offers to participate in the program without compensation and meets the requirements of subsection (2) of this section. Such a pharmacy, hospital, clinic, or law enforcement agency must be included as an authorized collector in the program no later than ninety days after receiving the offer to participate.

(d) A drug take-back program may also locate collection sites at:

(i) A long-term care facility where a pharmacy, or a hospital or clinic with an on-site pharmacy, operates a secure collection receptacle;

(ii) A substance use disorder treatment program, as defined in RCW 71.24.025; or

(iii) Any other authorized collector willing to participate as a collection site and able to meet the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.

(2)(a) A collection site must accept all covered drugs from covered entities during the hours that the authorized collector is normally open for business with the public.

(b) A collection site located at a long-term care facility may only accept covered drugs that are in the possession of individuals who reside or have resided at the facility.

(c) A collection site must use secure collection receptacles in compliance with state and federal law, including any applicable on-site storage and collection standards adopted by rule pursuant to chapter 70A.205 or 70A.300 RCW and United States drug enforcement administration regulations. The program operator must provide a service schedule that meets the needs of each collection site to ensure that each secure collection receptacle is serviced as often as necessary to avoid reaching capacity and that collected covered drugs are transported to final disposal in a timely manner, including a process for additional prompt collection service upon notification from the collection site. Secure collection receptacle signage must prominently display a toll-free telephone number and website for the program so that members of the public may provide feedback on collection activities.

(d) An authorized collector must comply with applicable provisions of chapters 70A.205 and 70A.300 RCW, including rules adopted pursuant to those chapters that establish collection and transportation standards, and federal laws and regulations governing the handling of covered drugs, including United States drug enforcement administration regulations.

(3)(a) A drug take-back program's collection system must be safe, secure, and convenient on an ongoing, year-round basis and must provide equitable and reasonably convenient access for residents across the state.

(b) In establishing and operating a collection system, a program operator must give preference to locating collection sites at retail pharmacies, hospitals or clinics with on-site pharmacies, and law enforcement agencies.

(c)(i) Each population center must have a minimum of one collection site, plus one additional collection site for every fifty thousand residents of the city or town located within the population center. Collection sites must be geographically distributed to provide reasonably convenient and equitable access to all residents of the population center.

(ii) On islands and in areas outside of population centers, a collection site must be located at the site of each potential authorized collector that is regularly open to the public, unless the program operator demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that a potential authorized collector is unqualified or unwilling to participate in the drug take-back program, in accordance with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section.

(iii) For purposes of this section, "population center" means a city or town and the unincorporated area within a ten-mile radius from the center of the city or town.

(d) A program operator must establish mail-back distribution locations or hold periodic collection events to supplement service to any area of the state that is underserved by collection sites, as determined by the department, in consultation with the local health jurisdiction. The program operator, in consultation with the department, local law enforcement, the local health jurisdiction, and the local community, must determine the number and locations of mail-back distribution locations or the frequency and location of these collections events, to be held at least twice a year, unless otherwise determined through consultation with the local community. The program must arrange any periodic collection events in advance with local law enforcement agencies and conduct periodic collection events in compliance with United States drug enforcement administration regulations and protocols and applicable state laws.

(e) Upon request, a drug take-back program must provide a mail-back program free of charge to covered entities and to retail pharmacies that offer to distribute prepaid, preaddressed mailing envelopes for the drug take-back program. A drug take-back program must permit covered entities to request prepaid, preaddressed mailing envelopes through the program's website, the program's toll-free telephone number, and a request to a pharmacist at a retail pharmacy distributing the program's mailing envelopes.

(f) The program operator must provide alternative collection methods for any covered drugs, other than controlled substances, that cannot be accepted or commingled with other covered drugs in secure collection receptacles, through a mail-back program, or at periodic collection events, to the extent permissible under applicable state and federal laws. The department shall review and approve of any alternative collection methods prior to their implementation.

Sunset Act application: See note following chapter digest.

Explanatory statement—2021 c 65: See note following RCW 53.54.030.