[Pharmwaste] Osorb

[Ed Gottlieb]

Catherine,
 
Hear, Hear!
 
Out of curiosity, I called ABS materials, the maker of Osorb.  They
will send me information to back-up the claims for removal of:

      •  Nutrients, such as phosphates and nitrates
      •  Pesticides, such as atrazine
      •  Pharmaceuticals
      •  Oils, greases, and household chemicals
      •  Chlorinated solvents (TCE, PCE, DCE, VC)
      •  Endocrine disruptors
      •  Pharmaceuticals
      •  Other volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
 
Even while: "Organic matter is not absorbed..."
 
The women who took my call wanted to know the reason for my interest.
After I told her she suggested that they would like to call me back to
start a dialog.
I let her know that their website needed a minor tweak,
"Pharmaceuticals" were listed twice (see above.)  They fixed it within
the hour!  Whatever the actual quality of their product, I think ABS has
top notch outreach / sales technique!
 
Ed
 

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
 

>>> "Catherine Zimmer" <zenllc at usfamily.net> 10/7/2013 11:15 AM >>>
Hi everyone,
 
I am always skeptical of any technology that claims to capture or
destroy pharmaceuticals and other pollutants in water.  Most articles
I’ve read indicate it would take a multitude of technologies, at an
extraordinary cost, everything from settling tanks and flocculation to
carbon filtration and air stripping to remove all the pollutants from
wastewater.  The treatment technologies work based on the chemical
structure of the drug.  For example, carbmazepine and diclofenac can be
broken down by ozone.  However, iron flocculation has no appreciable
effect on removing either drug.  Another issue that is not often
addressed is what do the breakdown products look like, they are likely
still pollutants and are they biologically active? With activated
carbon, some pollutants/rx are removed, but the sites on the filter are
easily filled and often break through occurs.  For something like
“Obsorb”, it may work for some pollutants, but won’t work for all,
and there is the cost issue, this is essentially a silica filtration
system that would have to manage millions of gallons of water per day.
And, as we all know, any treatment technology is basically moving the
pollutant to another media, e.g. the land or air.  It’s the on-going
crap shoot of treatment.
 
So, as you all know, I go back to beating the drum of prevention.  I
know its not as financially attractive as selling the gizmo that does
magic, but it does magic without much cost.  Prevention of long term
chronic illness is a good place to start.  In the UK, where they passed
legislation calling on the healthcare sector to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions 80% by 2030, they are doing a complete overhaul of their
system and starting with prevention.  By reducing the patients
progressing to chronic disease they minimize resource consumption and by
extension, GHG.  (Studies indicate 60% of GHG produced in HC are due to
products used and disposed.)
 
With the advent of our new healthcare system, I have hope that we will
be focusing more on prevention, rather than treatment.  As a matter of
fact, the UK has a “sustainability division” in their NationaL Health
Service—let’s lobby for something similar at CMS.  And maybe we will
finally start to seriously consider non-pharmaceutical treatments rather
than just piling on the pharmaceuticals.  It can be done.  I know a
number of people who are refusing pharmaceuticals in lieu of alternative
medicine, even things so boring as exercise, and they are doing well.
 
Very truly yours,

Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMT
Principal
Zimmer Environmental Improvement LLC
Ph: 651.645.7509
 
 
 
From: Ed Gottlieb ( mailto:egottlieb at cityofithaca.org )
Sent: Monday, October 07, 2013 9:24 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us ; Brian Stenz (
mailto:brian at returnlogistics.com )
Subject: Re: [Pharmwaste] Osorb
 
The correct link is:
http://www.absmaterials.com/stormwater
 
Ed

>>> Brian Stenz <brian at returnlogistics.com> 10/7/2013 10:19 AM >>>
I'd be curious to learn what others think of this new technology for
capturing pharmaceuticals and other chemicals in water.

http://www.absmaterials.com/stormwater---
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