[Pharmwaste] FW: MN DEA Takeback event information

[Tenace, Laurie]

Hi members,
Please be patient - I think there are some posts that haven't come through to the list serve in the last few days. I'm checking into on my end.
Laurie





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From: Volkman, Jennifer (MPCA) [mailto:Jennifer.Volkman at state.mn.us]
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 2:11 PM
To: Pharmaceutical Waste List Serve
Subject: MN DEA Takeback event information

Hello,
The events went well here, but we didn't really know what would happen until the actual day. Generally HHW events are planned out in a lot of detail and we don't worry. The DEA modified the protocol for events in MN so that people could drive through and hand a bag out the window. I am not sure if they did that everywhere, but it worked super slick for the participants and those working the events. I would agree with Dr. Mireles' earlier post that the great value was the partnerships built and county law enforcement now understands very well the value of their county HHW programs. The largest event was around 700 and would have been chaos without the foresight and planning assistance from the HHW program.  DEA noted that they might plan a spring event...

DEA needs to understand proper disposal. We have to follow their rules, they should follow ours. Time to move into the 21st century on that and we should help. That picture of open burning is not acceptable as a disposal method and was not used in MN. The CS went to a medical incinerator and the SW and HW pharms went to a HW incinerator. In the near future, pharm waste will go to WTE facilities in MN.

The pharmacy students from the U of M in Duluth sent a survey around so there should be results from that at some point in time (attached). They also did some additional sorting and categorizing of pharms, so there could be additional information available on that. I will keep checking and update if it looks interesting. The pharmacy students were the best, there were 3-5 of them at each site along with a licensed pharmacist.

I attached the basic waste collection information from the contractor, Clean Harbors, whose assistance was also invaluable to the success of the event. The DEA waste amounts are in the article at the link below.

AND, I went through the cabinet and found a half of a grocery bag of expired stuff (cold meds that expired in 2000; vitamins and supplements with weird crystals growing out of them) to take to the event. I was amazed I had that much.
JV

-----Original Message-----
From: stre0236 at d.umn.edu [mailto:stre0236 at d.umn.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 9:21 AM
To: Volkman, Jennifer (MPCA)
Subject: Fwd: RE: Takeback information

Hi Jennifer,

This is the information that I got from the DEA. I have also attached an article that I wrote for the MPhA journal... I can't remember if I have sent it to you already! It has some more information in it that you might find useful. I pulled the controlled weight from a dea news
release:

http://www.justice.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/2010/chicago092810.html

I hope this helps!

Angie


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