[Pharmwaste] update on DEA Freedom of Information Request

[Ed Gottlieb]

As you may recall, quite some time ago I submitted a FOIR request to the DEA for detailed data from their National Take-Back Initiative.
I am hoping to determine if there is a statistically valid pattern to the weight collected at locations over time.  In other words, in general, does the amount collected at a site increase, level off, or decrease over time?
 
They denied the initial request, claiming the information didn't exist.  Using information some of you provided, I appealed the denial by establishing that DEA branch offices did, in fact, collect this data.  The appeal was upheld by the Dept. of Justice and the question was remanded back to DEA for a response.  
 
I finally received the DEA's reply, a table listing national totals for "NTBI" events I-VI for:  "LE Participants", "Collection Sites", & "Pounds Collected"; eighteen numbers total.  I asked them for detailed site data, not national totals.  They left it to me to figure out the abbreviations.  It took awhile for me to get that "LE" stood for "Law Enforcement".      
 
Today, I submitted another administrative appeal to the DOJ.  My cynical guess is that they will deny the request, claiming it will take an unreasonable amount of time to collect the data (i.e. to ask their branch offices to send them numbers and then forward them to me.)  
   

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
 
 
 
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