[Pharmwaste] Collection event results

[Ed Gottlieb]

The Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal (CSMD) is pleased to report that our fourth collection event, held on October 1st in Tompkins County, NY was a great success.  

Three collection locations were used (w/three different law enforcement agencies involved):
Prime (drive thru), Ithaca, NY open 9-3  (typical time from entry to exit = 3.5 minutes)
Satellite 1 (walk-up), Dryden, NY open 9-10:30 
Satellite 2 (walk-up), Lansing, NY open 11:30-1

We accepted pharmaceutical waste from a total of 409 people.  Almost all participants answered our on-site survey that was conducted by volunteers.  About two-thirds of participants reported that they had never been to a previous Coalition-sponsored collection event.

The total net weight of material collected at all three events was 834 pounds.   That brings the total for all four of our events to 4,136 pounds.

We were able to inventory all controlled substances received.  We also fully inventoried almost 1-in-5 vehicles contribution.  An estimated (liquids required estimation) twelve-thousand six-hundred and twenty-two (12,622) doses of controlled substances were received and destroyed.    

The inventory spread sheet we used is available to use at your collection event.  A full explanation of how to use it along with job descriptions (greeter, pharmacist, & weigh station) from our collection event is also available.  Go to: http://www.takebacknetwork.com/local_efforts.html 
The job descriptions have been tweaked somewhat since posting. 
   
Please let me know if you have any questions or want detailed data from our event.

Ed Gottlieb
Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal
Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
525 3rd Street
Ithaca, NY  14850
(607) 273-8381
Fax: (607) 273-8433
egottlieb at cityofithaca.org