[Pharmwaste] Display of pills at DEA events

Wed Oct 13 17:29:53 EDT 2010

Operation Medicine Cabinet, a pharmaceutical take back program operated by  
DrugFreeCollier.org also did the DEA collection program.  Here in Collier  
County, Florida, we separate as much as possible, pills from all packaging  
including the amber containers. 
All personal information is blacked out and the materials that are  
separated from the pills are recycled.   

In a message dated 10/13/2010 5:25:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
PAPasterz at cabarruscounty.us writes:

For  those of you who had recent collections, how many of you recycled the 
amber  vials, or prepared them for reuse?

 Pete Pasterz, NCQRP
Cabarrus  County Recycling and HHW
PO BOX 707
Concord, NC   28026
704-920-3280
www.cabarruscounty.us/waste
If you're not for ZERO  Waste, how much Waste ARE you for?

-----Original  Message-----
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us  
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of DeBiasi,  Deborah (DEQ)
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 5:08 PM
To:  pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Display of pills  at DEA events

At sites I checked on in Virginia, we provided Sharpie  markers for
people to mark out their identifying information on  medications.  Some
did, some didn't.  However, the collected  drugs were not displayed to
the public, so it wasn't an issue for us.   As soon as a bag inside the
box was filled up, it was removed, tied and  taped with the date and
initials of the DEA agent on site, and put in his  trunk for later
transport.

The DEA HQ office issued guidance that  the medications were not to be
handled and no questions were to be asked of  people dropping them off.
It would have been helpful to have done an  inventory of the types and
quantities so we could get a better handle on  controlled versus
non-controlled substances, and why meds were turned in -  but the
important part is that those meds are no longer a potential  hazard.  We
did pass out additional information on environmentally  responsible
disposal of home medications and our contact information for  questions.

Deborah L. DeBiasi, Virginia DEQ
Office of Water  Permit and Compliance Assistance Programs
Email:    Deborah.DeBiasi at deq.virginia.gov
PH:          804-698-4028

-----Original Message-----
From:  pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us]  On Behalf Of Matthew
C. Mireles
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 4:08  PM
To: Ed Gottlieb; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: Re:  [Pharmwaste] Display of pills at DEA events

Ed, this should be very  interesting but with health laws pertaining to
patients' privacy and  confidentiality (such as HIPPA and PSQIA 2005)
would not apply because the  DEA is not an official health service
provider.  On the other hand, it  would have been most considerate and
prudent to ask participants to black  out their names and address or
remove the label.

We were invited at  a press conference in Houston and had a few issues
with the PR.  Clear  cylinder and bowls filled with pills look exactly
like perfectly sorted  candies.  Even though some 3,400 sites nationwide
participated in the  take-back, no data about the reported 151 tons of
returned drugs were  collected.  I believe we miss a huge opportunity to
really understand  why we have the type (?) and quantity (?) of drugs and
why people are  discarding them.

We are anxious to learn about the next step for the  DEA, now with the
newly signed law.

Matthew  Mireles

-----Original Message-----
>From: Ed Gottlieb  <egottlieb at cityofithaca.org>
>Sent: Oct 13, 2010 11:21  AM
>To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
>Subject: [Pharmwaste]  Display of pills at DEA events
>
>There are two photos of  collected pills on display at DEA collection
events.   http://www.justice.gov/dea/index.htm
>The one in NJ is a clear cylinder  filled with pills.  The photo from
Seattle Washington is of a fish  tank filled mostly with prescription
pill bottles.  Shouldn't the  names/address have been blacked out from
those bottles?
>
>Ed  Gottlieb
>Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
>Ithaca Area  Wastewater Treatment Facility
>525 3rd Street
>Ithaca, NY   14850
>Work: (607)  273-8381
>egottlieb at cityofithaca.org
>
>
>
>
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