[Pharmwaste] RE: Trash Disposal of Pharmaceuticals (Contents of Pharmwaste di gest, Vol 1 #80 - 2 msgs)

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 08:37:10 -0400

 The bottom line is this - all landfills eventually leak. The more
sophisticated one have leachate collection, which goes to a treatment plant
and is eventually discharged to a receiving water or bulked into sludge
which may then be land spread on crop land.  We all know that treatment
plants in the US, for the most part, do not have the processes to capture
the pharmaceuticals.  

An interesting article on this appears in "Ground Water Monitoring and
Remediation 24, No.2/Spring 2004, pages 119-126.  Title is "Pharmaceuticals
and Other Organic Waste Water Contaminants Within a Leachate Plume
Downgradient of a Municipal Landfill" K. Barnes, S. Christenson et.al.

I am sure there are other articles on this if one goes looking.  The data
that may be sorely lacking is on air emissions - although I haven't dug deep
for it. I am concerned about cross-media transfer, that by burning we may be
adding stuff to the air or the ash.  I think the general feeling is that by
burning, the organics break down to harmless components, but I would like to
see where that has been confirmed.  And, I am no expert nor chemist, but are
some pharmaceuticals not (basically) organics??? 

Lastly, I know EPA has set emission limits for the pharmaceutical industry
which one would hope is based on stack tests etc., sound science.  Anyone
looked at these?

Ann Pistell
Me DEP

Today's Topics:

   1. FW: Trash Disposal of Pharmaceuticals (Charlotte A. Smith)
   2. RE: FW: Trash Disposal of Pharmaceuticals (Volkman, Jennifer)

Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 11:50:42 -0500
From: "Charlotte A. Smith" <csmith@pharmecology.com>
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

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Message: 2
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] FW: Trash Disposal of Pharmaceuticals
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 17:50:51 -0500
From: "Volkman, Jennifer" <Jennifer.Volkman@state.mn.us>
To: "Charlotte A. Smith" <csmith@pharmecology.com>,
	<pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us>

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