[Pharmwaste] San Mateo County, CA - Medicine Disposal Program Elicits Inquiries from all over

DeBiasi,Deborah dldebiasi at deq.virginia.gov
Thu Feb 22 14:37:01 EST 2007


http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/16738882.htm

Posted on Tue, Feb. 20, 2007  
 


Innovative clean-water plan a hit

MEDICINE DISPOSAL PROGRAM ELICITS INQUIRIES FROM ALL OVER

By Rebekah Gordon
MediaNews

San Mateo County's plan to get old medicines out of people's homes and
keep them from washing into the watershed has taken off.

In just four months, a county pilot program has collected close to 590
pounds of expired and unused drugs in white-painted mailboxes donated by
the U.S. Postal Service. It has cost the county a mere $924 to dispose
of it all, piquing the interest of other local governments that want to
launch similar efforts.

``I was just so pleased that somebody was clever enough to come up with
something that appears to work,'' said Florence Reynolds, Salt Lake
City's water quality and treatment administrator. ``It's just one of
those things where you go, `Duh, why didn't I think of that?' ''

The program was launched by San Mateo County Supervisor Adrienne Tissier
out of concern for the effects of drugs flushed down the toilet on fish
and other wildlife. Tissier also was concerned for the welfare of
seniors, who can let old drugs accumulate. Medicines lying around can
create a risk of accidentally taking the wrong drug -- or getting into
the hands of curious toddlers or teens.

The drop-off receptacles sit at police stations in Pacifica, Daly City
and San Bruno and at the sheriff's department in Redwood City. Drugs are
brought to the Maguire Correctional Facility, where they're collected
for incineration.

Reynolds is now trying to get permission from the Salt Lake City Police
Department to house receptacles in a few pilot locations there.

In Oregon, the Tualatin Valley Water District has been part of a
statewide effort during the past six months to evaluate pharmaceutical
disposal programs nationwide. Dr. Brenda Bateman, the district's
public-policy coordinator, said San Mateo County's program appears to be
the only one operating year-round.

``It's a great convenience for participants, and it's the best program
design we've seen so far,'' Bateman said.

Sewage treatment plants are not equipped to filter out minute amounts of
chemicals. Studies show that the remnants of drugs flushed down toilets
or rinsed down drains can be absorbed into the endocrine systems of fish
and amphibians.

Bateman said her water district is drawn to the program partly because
officials want to be good environmental stewards.

``There's a concern for downstream wildlife and wildlife habitat, and
for us that's a very important issue,'' she said.

San Mateo County also has received inquiries from Santa Clara, Alameda
and San Diego counties; the East Bay Municipal Utility District; and the
city of Redding. Vacaville launched its program, modeled after San Mateo
County's, in late December.

``We were interested because it seemed like a good, safe program to
establish,'' said Kari Holmes, who coordinates recycling and
waste-diversion programs for Vacaville. ``We seem to have gotten a good
response from it.''

Local cities want to get in on the project, too, as Tissier's office has
fielded inquiry calls from Atherton, Redwood City, San Mateo and others.

Tissier said she hopes to get all the county's cities to participate in
collections during Earth Week in April.

Burlingame plans to have a permanent receptacle at its police station up
and running before Earth Week. Eva Justimbaste, Burlingame's storm water
coordinator and inspector, said she expects residents of other cities
will use the receptacle, too.

``I'm very, very, very happy that we can provide this collection
service,'' Justimbaste said. ``If you provide a place for residents to
recycle and a place that's convenient for them, they're more apt to do
it.''

http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/vgn/images/portal/cit_609/33/33/761212757Ph
arm.pdf 

http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/vgn/images/portal/cit_609/2/3/792328191Phar
maceuticalProgram-68pounds.pdf
 
http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/vgn/images/portal/cit_609/45/9/636266482vie
wpoints.pdf

Supervisor Adrienne Tissier: atissier at co.sanmateo.ca.us 




Deborah L. DeBiasi
Email:   dldebiasi at deq.virginia.gov
WEB site address:  www.deq.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Office of Water Permit Programs
Industrial Pretreatment/Toxics Management Program
Mail:          P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA  23218 (NEW!)
Location:  629 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA  23219
PH:         804-698-4028
FAX:      804-698-4032



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