Check our calendar or
-Locations for April 30, 2011
Canandaigua Pharmaceutical Pick-up -April 30, 2011
Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association
dedicated to "enhancing and preserving the quality of Seneca Lake"
Pharmaceuticals
Background
The human body excretes roughly 80% of any given drug ingested. Current waste water treatment methods are not sophisticated enough to eliminate these chemicals. Until new waste water treatment methods are found to combat this problem, citizens need to be aware and do all they can to protect our lakes and drinking water supplies. As our population ages, more individuals are taking multiple prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Years ago, people were taught to flush unwanted drugs down the toilet. With all the research on waste water and drinking water treatment as well as our improved ability to analyze for specific drugs in such waters, we know that the disposal of drugs in our waste water is not an environmentally acceptable solution. In the past five years, the government and environmental groups have worked to create more acceptable methods for proper incineration of unwanted/unused prescription and nonprescription drugs for humans and animals.
Pharmaceutical take-back events are being hosted in every state across the nation. Such events in New York State require the hosting organization to register and event plan with the Department of Environmental Conservation. Several other legal documents and letters are also filed with the state and with the incineration facility. A major requirement for a take-back event is to provide local law enforcement personnel. Law enforcement personnel provide security for the event and transportation for the returned drugs to the specified incineration facility. There are only a few incineration facilities within the state that are capable of incinerating pharmaceuticals from such taken-back events. Arrangements are made by the hosting organization with the incineration facility to schedule incineration of the collected drugs.
During the specified times of the event, patrons merely drive into a designated parking area. The local police or sheriffs’ department provide signs and traffic cones to route the patron traffic. Patrons never leave their car and the whole process takes only a few minutes. Either a pharmacist or volunteer takes the unwanted/unused drugs from the car and under the direction of a pharmacist, the volunteers then separate the excess packaging from the collected drugs. Pill vials, blister packs and drug applicators are placed in 55 gallon drums. These drums are weighted at the end of the event and then transported by the law enforcement officers to the incineration facility. During the collection event, the law enforcement officers do not check the contents of what is being turned in, nor do they ask any questions. They only provide security for the event and secure transport of the drugs to the incineration facility.
September 24, 2011 -2nd Pharmaceutical Take-Back in the Finger Lakes
Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association (SLPWA) will host it's second annual
Pharmaceutical Take-Back Event at Tops Market at Pyramid Mall in Geneva
from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 24, 2011.
September 25, 2010 -1st Pharmaceutical Take-Back in the Finger Lakes
Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association (SLPWA) hosted the first pharmaceutical take-back in Ontario County in Geneva. Over 1400 pounds of unwanted pharmaceuticals were collected at this event. SLPWA spearheaded the Ontario County initiative which included collections in Canandaigua and Victor as well as Geneva.Hits
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