[Pharmwaste] drop-box disaster?

[Ed Gottlieb]

The Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal (Tompkins County, NY) will soon be placing permanent drug drop-boxes in 9 or 10 police stations throughout the County.  

One police chief has not signed up, do to what I think is an irrational fear.  He imagines that various bottles of medications will break when deposited in the box, chemically react, and release clouds of toxic fumes.  I will soon meet with him and have a final chance to allay his fears and get him on board.  

Deposited items will fall into a plastic bin.  I'll provide a heavy weight spill absorbent pad for the bottom of the bin.  I could offer to provide plastic bags for users to place their items in before depositing them and add that request to the text/graphics that will go on the box.  

Can you address the likely hood of any dangerous chemical reaction occurring in a drop box?    
The worst things I can imagine are a spill of mercury and a small explosion if some CLINITEST Reagent Tablets get wet ["Clinitest tablets are highly sensitive to moisture from air or water. Moisture may cause a chemical reaction and the glass bottle could explode."]  

Thanks for any assistance!

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