[Pharmwaste] FW: Trash Disposal of Pharmaceuticals

Volkman, Jennifer Jennifer.Volkman@state.mn.us
Wed, 29 Jun 2005 17:50:51 -0500


In MN, we don't have a landfill restriction or ban on pharms.

We'd be interested in actual study data.  The basic concern from our SW =
people here is that the pharms would eventually leach through the =
garbage and show up in the leachate which is eventually run through the =
same WWTP we were trying to keep it out of, or that the landfill would =
eventually leak and the pharms would move into groundwater. =20

With the lack of hard data, leachate contamination is only assumed, as =
is the relative ability of a landfill to attenuate or absorb pharms. =
Incineration appears to be the best option for destruction, as with any =
other poison. =20



-----Original Message-----
From: pharmwaste-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-admin@lists.dep.state.fl.us]On Behalf Of Charlotte A.
Smith
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 11:51 AM
To: pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] FW: Trash Disposal of Pharmaceuticals


Can anyone provide more information on landfill restrictions and why
hazardous waste incineration is a better solution environmentally at
this point?  Thanks much!=20

Charlotte A. Smith, R. Ph., M.S., HEM
President
PharmEcology Associates, LLC
200 S. Executive Drive, Suite 101
Brookfield, WI 53005
262-814-2635
Fax 414-479-9941
www.pharmecology.com
H2E Champion for Change Award


-----Original Message-----
From: David Wyatt [mailto:DWYATT@centralsan.dst.ca.us]=20
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 5:03 PM
To: Charlotte A. Smith
Subject: Trash Disposal of Pharmaceuticals


Good afternoon,

My name is David Wyatt and I am with the Central Contra Costa Sanitary
District (you will be speaking at a workshop here on the 19th of July).
I am a Senior Technician at the Districts household hazardous waste
collection facility (HHWCF).  We are looking for some information on the
effects of pharmaceuticals thrown in the trash.

We currently collect pharmaceuticals from households in our service area
at our HHWCF.  The medications are packaged with poisonous materials and
sent for incineration.  The cost of this waste stream is relatively
inexpensive with respect to the rest of our waste costs.

I've been asked to find out why our residents cannot just throw them in
the trash as mentioned in many reports.  Do you know of any publications
that could provide us with information on the potential effects of
pharmaceuticals to sanitary landfills or do you know any other reasons
why residents should not put them in the trash?=20

We at the HHWCF feel accepting medications at our facility is the best
and only method of proper disposal of household pharmaceuticals.  We
only need to educate some of our management to see it that way.

Any and all information will be greatly appreciated.  You may reply to
this email or give me a call at (925)335-7714.

Thank you for your time. Have a great day!





David Wyatt
Sr. HHW Technician
Central Contra Costa=20
Sanitary District - HHWCF
5019 Imhoff Place
Martinez, CA 94553
Ph.  925-335-7714
Fax  925-335-7737
dwyatt@centralsan.dst.ca.us
www.centralsan.org