Teacher, Students Work to Make Prescription Drug Disposal Sustainable
by Kenny Luna, North Babylon, NY on 04.10.08
When ecology teacher Paul Ritter at the Pontiac Township High School in Pontiac, Illinois realized the U.S. is beginning to experience increasing amounts of unused or pharmaceuticals in the water supply he swung into action by working with his students to organize a local program to keep drugs out of the environment that may well serve as a model for others across the country.
To pull it off they’ve conducted hours of student-led research on the issue and partnered with local and corporate pharmacies, city officials, and local residents to ensure that no one in Pontiac has to choose between dumping their unused drugs down the drain or throwing them out with the trash. Both of which ensure those unused prescriptions will ultimately wind up in the water supply.
So folks in Pontiac can now bring their unused prescriptions back to their pharmacy for safe disposal. And Ritter, along with fellow teacher Eric Bohm, is working to help schools across America create their own Prescription Drug Reclamation Programs. And he indicated to us, here at TreeHugger, that what they really needs is a hand spreading the word. So perhaps a school near you may enjoy working to develop a similar program, which sounds like a great idea to me.
See also: Teacher, Students ask Schools to Help Solve Great Copy Machine Epidemic!
The drugs in the water is from our peeing in the water and the drugs are in the pee. Not from some guy pouring it down the drain in malice. They talk about tynenol or asparin in the water when tested but people dont stuff pills down the drain, they usually throw them down the drain. The key to this article is that the person who thinks this is an issue is a high school teacher, his profession is next to amateur.
How about a system where you can just drop off the drugs at your local Walgreens, CVS, etc.?
Another proposal under debate: recycling drugs, i.e., returning unopened drugs for refund and reuse. (Interesting way to lower medical costs!)
Another proposal under debate: recycling drugs, i.e., return unopened drugs for refund and reuse. (Interesting way to lower medical costs!)
Another proposal under debate: recycling drugs, i.e., return unopened drugs for refund and reuse. (Interesting way to lower medical costs!)
This is a fantastic idea!
Thank you for bringing up this important point of what to do with extra prescriptions and pharmaceuticals around the home.
This exact issue was just brought up in one of our meetings yesteday.
Treehugger, Paul Ritter, and the fabulous students are welcome to contact us for support.
Our Education Department would be happy to assist in making connections to move the project along.
Warmly, greenly, and sincerely,
Cindy Katz 'Tree Angel'
Founder & CEO, Plant a Tree USA
www.plantatreeusa.com
1-877-A-Tree-4-U
... Our Education Department can be reached directly at shareyourstory@plantatreeusa.com.
I am a pharmacy student with the University of Florida and have been working to establish similar programs at several locations in the Central Florida area. My hurdle at this time is where do I find these incineration facilties that provide a cost effective service. Any info that anyone has would be much appreciated. To the best of my knowledge no such programs have ever been tried in Florida.
The main problem with prescriptions is not the unused ones, but the fact people pee them into the water supply.
The main problem with prescriptions is not the unused ones, but the fact people pee them into the water supply.
Okay! I have an issue when they say it is only the drugs we pee out that is affecting our water and such. If you take many narcotic drugs put them in water what happens? They break down! Well, we have millions of people in the U.S., if each family was to pour just one perscription drug or expired drugs down the drain each week. What do we think it is going to do to our drinking water? I have heard research that says autism is up to 1 in 150 cases now. Why? Could this be possible because the water treatment plants don't filter out the drugs being put in our water.
Now for the fact of grinding them up and putting them in our trash. Landfills are buried ok what lies underneath these landfills. Ohhh, maybe our ground water source. Everyday we throw all kinds of things in the trash without care as to how it will be disposed and what happens once it leaves our houses. I also am guilty of this, but when are we going to realize we are hurting ourselves and the generations to come.
I have just recently become concerned about these things when after having surgery I was sent home with Oxycodone. I had a difficult time with med so I quit taking it. Now I want to get rid of this drug as my husband and I are missionaries to youth and do not want to place a temptation before them if they happen to ask for Tylenol and see these other drugs in my cabinet. I went to my PCP and surgeon and both told me to flush or throw them in the trash. I feel even our health care officials lack common sense. I was taught 2 yrs ago in an EMT course not to flush drugs. I feel this is a big problem that is way out of control and needs some big publicity.