<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Having dealt with wastewater treatment vendors, in many cases you end up with a black box they want you to help test so it can be marketed. If this technology has been tested with legitimate third party scientific review, been part of a research project (such a foundation or university sponsored project) and has been the subject of a peer reviewed report, or has been the subject of a refereed journal article - then it sounds like something worth looking into - if not then buyer beware.<br><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">Margaret H. Nellor, P.E.<br>Nellor Environmental Associates, Inc.<br>4024 Walnut Clay Drive<br>Austin, TX 78731<br>512-374-9330</span>
</div>
<br><div><div>On Oct 7, 2013, at 11:47 AM, Catherine Zimmer wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite">
<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19394">
<div style="FONT: 10pt Tahoma; MARGIN: 4px 4px 1px" dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<div>Hi Ed and all,</div>
<div>Thanks for following up w/ABS. My guess is they REALLY want to remove
Rx. Don’t we all? I’d be interested in what they say. I know
they’re not the silver bullet, but their perspective would be interesting.
</div>
<div> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">Very truly
yours,<br><br>Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMT<br>Principal<br>Zimmer Environmental
Improvement LLC<br>Ph: 651.645.7509</div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none; DISPLAY: inline">
<div style="FONT: 10pt tahoma">
<div> </div>
<div style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<div style="font-color: black"><b>From:</b> <a title="egottlieb@cityofithaca.org" href="mailto:egottlieb@cityofithaca.org">Ed Gottlieb</a> </div>
<div><b>Sent:</b> Monday, October 07, 2013 11:19 AM</div>
<div><b>To:</b> <a title="pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us" href="mailto:pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a>
; <a title="brian@returnlogistics.com" href="mailto:brian@returnlogistics.com">Brian Stenz</a> ; <a title="zenllc@usfamily.net" href="mailto:zenllc@usfamily.net">Catherine Zimmer</a>
</div>
<div><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Pharmwaste] Osorb</div></div></div>
<div> </div></div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none; DISPLAY: inline">
<div>Catherine,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Hear, Hear!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Out of curiosity, I called ABS materials, the maker of Osorb. They
will send me information to back-up the claims for removal of:</div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-STYLE: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">
<div style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); MARGIN: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><br><font color="#000000"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">
• </span><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"> </span><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Nutrients,
such as phosphates and nitrates</span></font></div>
<div style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); MARGIN: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><font color="#000000"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">
• </span><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Pesti</span><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">cides,
such as atrazine</span></font></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); MARGIN: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><font color="#000000"> •
Pharmaceuticals</font></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); MARGIN: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(102,102,102); TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="FONT-SIZE: small"><font color="#000000" size="2"> • Oils, greases, and household
chemicals</font></span></span></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">
• </span><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Chlorinated
solve</span><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">nts
(TCE, PCE, DCE, VC)</span><font style="WHITE-SPACE: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap"> </span></font><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">
</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">
• </span><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Endocrine
disruptors</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="FONT-SIZE: small"><font size="2"> •
Pharmaceuticals</font></span></div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">
• O</span><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">ther
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)</span></div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></span> </div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Even
while: "<span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><font color="#444444" face="Arial">Organic matter is not
absorbed..."</font></span></span></div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></span> </div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">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. </span></div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">I
let her know that their website needed a minor tweak, "Pharmaceuticals" were
listed twice (see above.) They fixed it within the hour! <span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Whatever
the actual quality of their product, I think ABS has top notch outreach / sales
technique! </span></span></div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></span></span> </div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Ed</span></span></div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></span></span> </div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 5pt 0in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: tahoma">Ed Gottlieb<br>Chair, Coalition for
Safe Medication Disposal <br>Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator <br>Ithaca Area
Wastewater Treatment Facility<br>525 3<sup>rd</sup> Street<br>Ithaca, NY
14850<br>(607) 273-8381<br>fax: (607)
273-8433<o:p></o:p></span></p></span></div>
<div><span style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: baseline; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></span> </div>
<div><br>>>> "Catherine Zimmer" <<a href="mailto:zenllc@usfamily.net">zenllc@usfamily.net</a>> 10/7/2013
11:15 AM >>><br></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<div>Hi everyone,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>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. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>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.)</div>
<div> </div>
<div>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. </div>
<div> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">Very truly
yours,<br><br>Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMT<br>Principal<br>Zimmer Environmental
Improvement LLC<br>Ph: 651.645.7509</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none; DISPLAY: inline">
<div style="FONT: 10pt tahoma">
<div> </div>
<div style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<div style="font-color: black"><b>From:</b> <a title="egottlieb@cityofithaca.org" href="mailto:egottlieb@cityofithaca.org">Ed Gottlieb</a> </div>
<div><b>Sent:</b> Monday, October 07, 2013 9:24 AM</div>
<div><b>To:</b> <a title="pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us" href="mailto:pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a>
; <a title="brian@returnlogistics.com" href="mailto:brian@returnlogistics.com">Brian Stenz</a> </div>
<div><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Pharmwaste] Osorb</div></div></div>
<div> </div></div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none; DISPLAY: inline">
<div>The correct link is:</div>
<div><a href="http://www.absmaterials.com/stormwater">http://www.absmaterials.com/stormwater</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Ed<br><br>>>> Brian Stenz <<a href="mailto:brian@returnlogistics.com">brian@returnlogistics.com</a>>
10/7/2013 10:19 AM >>><br>I'd be curious to learn what others think of
this new technology for capturing pharmaceuticals and other chemicals in
water.<br><br><a href="http://www.absmaterials.com/stormwater---">http://www.absmaterials.com/stormwater---</a><br>Note:
As a courtesy to other listserv subscribers, please post messages to the
listserv in plain text format to avoid the garbling of messages received by
digest recipients.<br>---<br>TO SUBSCRIBE, go to: <a href="http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharmwaste">http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharmwaste</a><br>TO
UNSUBSCRIBE, DO NOT REPLY TO THE LISTSERV. Please send an e-mail to
<a href="mailto:pharmwaste-unsubscribe@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste-unsubscribe@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a> -- the subject line and body of the
e-mail should be blank.<br>If you believe you may be subscribed with a different
email address, please visit the subscriber listing at <a href="http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/roster/pharmwaste">http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/roster/pharmwaste</a><br>FOR
PROBLEMS: Contact List Administrator <a href="mailto:Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us">Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us</a><br>SEND
MAIL to the list server at: <a href="mailto:pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a><br></div><div>
<br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><hr>
---<br>Note: As a courtesy to other listserv subscribers, please post messages
to the listserv in plain text format to avoid the garbling of messages received
by digest recipients.<br>---<br>TO SUBSCRIBE, go to:
<a href="http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharmwaste">http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharmwaste</a> <br>TO
UNSUBSCRIBE, DO NOT REPLY TO THE LISTSERV. Please send an e-mail to
<a href="mailto:pharmwaste-unsubscribe@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste-unsubscribe@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a> -- the subject line and body of the
e-mail should be blank.<br>If you believe you may be subscribed with a different
email address, please visit the subscriber listing at
<a href="http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/roster/pharmwaste">http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/roster/pharmwaste</a> <br>FOR
PROBLEMS: Contact List Administrator <a href="mailto:Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us">Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us</a>
<br>SEND MAIL to the list server at:
<a href="mailto:pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a><br></div></div></div><div>
<br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><hr>
---<br>Note: As a courtesy to other listserv subscribers, please post messages
to the listserv in plain text format to avoid the garbling of messages received
by digest recipients.<br>---<br>TO SUBSCRIBE, go to:
<a href="http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharmwaste">http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharmwaste</a> <br>TO
UNSUBSCRIBE, DO NOT REPLY TO THE LISTSERV. Please send an e-mail to
<a href="mailto:pharmwaste-unsubscribe@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste-unsubscribe@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a> -- the subject line and body of the
e-mail should be blank.<br>If you believe you may be subscribed with a different
email address, please visit the subscriber listing at
<a href="http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/roster/pharmwaste">http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/roster/pharmwaste</a> <br>FOR
PROBLEMS: Contact List Administrator <a href="mailto:Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us">Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us</a>
<br>SEND MAIL to the list server at:
<a href="mailto:pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a><br></span></span></div></div></div></div>
---<br>Note: As a courtesy to other listserv subscribers, please post messages to the listserv in plain text format to avoid the garbling of messages received by digest recipients.<br>---<br>TO SUBSCRIBE, go to: <a href="http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharmwaste">http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharmwaste</a> <br>TO UNSUBSCRIBE, DO NOT REPLY TO THE LISTSERV. Please send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:pharmwaste-unsubscribe@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste-unsubscribe@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a> -- the subject line and body of the e-mail should be blank.<br>If you believe you may be subscribed with a different email address, please visit the subscriber listing at <a href="http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/roster/pharmwaste">http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/roster/pharmwaste</a> <br>FOR PROBLEMS: Contact List Administrator <a href="mailto:Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us">Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us</a> <br>SEND MAIL to the list server at: <a href="mailto:pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us">pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us</a><br></blockquote></div><br></body></html>