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<DIV>Its unlikely you would see it in the drain effluent, but a complete
no-brainer to come in and ask employees or review policies. Given there are
RCRA regulated drugs...since oh say the 1970's you have an open door
to come in and inspect by the State. My former employer had a 2 year old
hospital with a catch basin where sharps were found...its not that hard to find
mistakes if you know where to look and want to find them. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Actually it wouldn't be that hard to sample a sink or hopper and find trace
on the surface as evidence. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If I were in Illinois I'd be crawling thru the policy manuals tonight...all
of them to make sure nothing is missed. Having spent enough time in
hospital committees changing policy in a healthcare system, you are looking
at 6 months or more work at a minimum.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I applaud the State of Illinois for doing this even though the bulk of
pharm pollution does not come from healthcare settings. Its a start and
one which will reverberate throughout the entire healthcare system, thus to
customers.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 8/19/2009 1:04:49 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
Deborah.DeBiasi@deq.virginia.gov writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080>Unless someone
is</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us> <FONT
color=#000080>‘</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
color=#000080>caught in the act</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080>’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080> of flushing unused medications, I
don</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
color=#000080>’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
color=#000080>t know how they could monitor and enforce this given the amount
of medications that are excreted</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080>.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080> A positive result will be awareness
a</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
color=#000080>long with</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080> better guidance and SOPs in health care
facilities.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
color=#000080>********</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><A
title=http://wwn-online.com/articles/2009/08/17/illinois-prohibits-health-facilities-from-flushing-meds.aspx
href="http://wwn-online.com/articles/2009/08/17/illinois-prohibits-health-facilities-from-flushing-meds.aspx"><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><U><FONT
color=#0000ff>http://wwn-online.com/articles/2009/08/17/illinois-prohibits-health-facilities-from-flushing-meds.aspx</FONT></U></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN></A><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
color=#000080>Illinois Prohibits Health Facilities from Flushing
Meds</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080>Aug 17,
2009</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us> </SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080>Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on
Aug. 10 signed several key environmental bills, including one that will
prohibit health care institutions from flushing unused medications into public
wastewater. Other legislation will track water usage by high capacity wells
throughout the state.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080>“This action is another
important step in protecting our state’s precious natural resources,” said
Quinn. “Keeping our water safe from unused medications and tracking water
usage will help us preserve our waterways for future
generations.”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080>Senate Bill 1919 creates the
Pharmaceutical Disposal Act and was sponsored by Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake
Forest) and Rep. Karen May (D-Highwood). The new law provides that health care
institutions may not discharge, dispose, flush, pour or empty any unused
medication into a public wastewater collection system or septic system.
Violators are subject to a fine.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080>"For years, disposing unused
or expired medicines in wastewater was common, even recommended practice.
Today, we’re making clear how serious we are at stopping this practice before
Illinois faces an environmental or community health crisis," said Sen.
Garrett.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080>The bill can be found
here: </FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us> </SPAN><A
title=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1919&GAID=10&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=76&GA=96
href="http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1919&GAID=10&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=76&GA=96"><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><U><FONT
color=#0000ff>http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1919&GAID=10&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=76&GA=96</FONT></U></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN></A><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><A name=""><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080
size=2>Deborah L. DeBiasi</FONT></SPAN></A><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#000080><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><B></B></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><B></B></SPAN><B><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080 size=2>Email:
Deborah.DeBiasi@deq.virginia.gov</FONT></SPAN></B><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial
color=#000080></FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><B><I></I></B></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><B><I></I></B></SPAN><B><I><SPAN lang=en-us> <FONT color=#ff0000
size=2>(NEW!)<BR></FONT></SPAN></I></B><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080 size=2>WEB site
address: www.deq.virginia.gov</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#000080><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080
size=2>Virginia Department of Environmental Quality</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial
color=#000080><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080 size=2>Office of Water
Permit Programs</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
face=Arial color=#000080><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080 size=2>Industrial
Pretreatment/Toxics Management Program</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial
color=#000080><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080 size=2>PPCPs, EDCs, and
Microconstituents</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
face=Arial color=#000080><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080
size=2>Mail: P.O. Box
1105, Richmond, VA 23218</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><B><I></I></B></SPAN><B><I><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial
color=#000080></FONT></SPAN></I></B><SPAN
lang=en-us><B><I></I></B></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><B><I></I></B></SPAN><B><I><SPAN lang=en-us> <FONT color=#ff0000
size=2>(NEW!)</FONT></SPAN></I></B><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#000080><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080
size=2>Location: 629 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA
23219</FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial
color=#000080><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080
size=2>PH: 804-698-4028</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial
color=#000080><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#000080 size=2>FAX:
804-698-4032</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial color=#000080>
</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN></P><BR><BR>---<BR>Note: As a courtesy to
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pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></FONT><DIV CLASS="aol_ad_footer" ID="aac46018fa07a23771bb65219ed7eb0c"><br/><font style="color:black;font:normal 10pt arial,san-serif;"> <hr style="margin-top:10px"/></font></DIV></BODY></HTML>