On June 10, 2022, Governor Pritzker signed the Drug Take-Back Act into law. Beginning December 1, 2023, every Illinois county will be entitled to at least one medication collection location per 50,000 residents that is financed by pharmaceutical manufacturers. These collection locations will accept both controlled and non-controlled substances free of charge. 

The Drug Take Back Act will become effective and the pharmaceutical industry will be responsible for financing the collection and destruction of drugs under the Act.  They have a 501 (c ) (3) called Med Project or another called Inmar that will be working with local law enforcement to continue the collection programs already in place.  Med Project or Inmar will be reaching out to police departments directly about setting up a new collection kiosk which may replace the Save-A-Star bins.  

After December 2023, SWALCO will no longer be involved in the pharmaceutical collection program and designated Police Departments will no longer have to bring the their collected pharmaceuticals to SWALCO.  

In (9) years, this program has collected 50 TONS of OTC and Prescription waste and roughly 500,000 controlled prescription pills have been sorted and disposed of through this shared effort.