5.__Unused Pharmaceutical Disposal Program Fund; funding.__The Unused Pharmaceutical Disposal Program Fund, referred to in this chapter as "the fund," is established within the agency to be used by the director of the agency to fund or assist in funding the program.__Any balance in the fund does not lapse but is carried forward to be expended for the same purposes in succeeding fiscal years.__The fund must be deposited with and maintained and administered by the agency.__The agency may accept funds into the fund from any source, public or private, including grants or contributions of money or other things of value, that it determines necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.__Money received by the agency to establish and maintain the program must be used for the expenses of administering this chapter.

6.__Rulemaking.__The agency shall by routine technical rulemaking, pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A, adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill creates the Unused Pharmaceutical Disposal Program, administered by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, to provide for the safe, effective and proper disposal of unused or expired prescription drugs. The program involves the use of prepaid mailers to be made available and used by the public to mail unused or expired prescription drugs to a single collection location. The drugs received may be handled only by agency officers and must be disposed of in a manner that ensures the safety of the public and the environment. The director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency is authorized to accept funding from public and private sources to carry out the purposes of the program.