<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Brush Script MT";
panose-1:3 6 8 2 4 4 6 7 3 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Pristina;
panose-1:3 6 4 2 4 4 6 8 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Candara;
panose-1:2 14 5 2 3 3 3 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Georgia;
panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Hi Margaret and all,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I agree, the editorial is a good start, but doesn’t go far enough not only regarding the cost of take back programs, the costs associated with over prescribing that lead to drug waste and the fact that most drugs in surface waters are excreted. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I just finished an editorial to the Mpls paper on a different topic, but suggest one of the many knowledgeable and smart people on this list craft a response to Rep. Lucido. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Very truly yours,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Brush Script MT";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMT<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Executive director, <u><a href="http://www.hearrtmidwest.wildapricot.org/"><span style='color:blue'>HEARRT Midwest</span></a></u><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Principal, <u>Zimmer Environmental Improvement<o:p></o:p></u></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Pristina;color:#1F497D'>Improving processes, minimizing and managing waste and, reducing costs. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>T: 651.645.7509<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:zenllc@usfamily.net"><span style='color:blue'>zenllc@usfamily.net</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Pharmwaste [mailto:pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Margaret Shield<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, June 7, 2017 11:14 AM<br><b>To:</b> pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us<br><b>Subject:</b> [Pharmwaste] Rep. Lucido in Michigan asks "What are we putting in our water?"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Interesting opinion piece from a Republican state legislator in Michigan….aware of the problem, cares about water quality, likes secure medicine take-back, but who is he suggesting should take action? Personal responsibility clearly has a huge role in safe and secure medicine disposal, but personal responsibility alone does not finance and operate convenient medicine drop-off locations that meet community needs. Clearly a conversation starter though.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Lucido: What are we putting in our water?<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i>Morning Sun (Mt. Pleasant, MI)<o:p></o:p></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.themorningsun.com/opinion/20170606/lucido-what-are-we-putting-in-our-water">http://www.themorningsun.com/opinion/20170606/lucido-what-are-we-putting-in-our-water</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:4.25pt;margin-left:0in'><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>By Peter Lucido<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:gray;text-transform:uppercase'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Food. Water. Shelter. Three things we as humans cannot live without. As a state representative, I am constantly in the mindset of protecting the health and welfare of my family, my friends and everyone in my district and county. Recently, the Flint water crisis has caused a spark of discussion not only in Metro Detroit but nationwide, regarding the importance of having safe water to drink for the pubic.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Disposal of medications in water is something that is rarely discussed in the news, but be a contributor to many health problems in the future. Improper disposal of pharmaceutical medications ranges far beyond occasional disposal by random people, to the routine and large scale dumping of medicines into our sewage system. Unfortunately, this dumping is not only by members of the public, but is also being performed by our health care systems we entrust to our health and well-being. There is a lack of appropriate routes of disposal for consumers at home and for narcotic disposal in hospitals. What will the effects of this be 20, 30, 40 years from now?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Macomb County has multiple hospitals and medical centers, and I cannot imagine the amount of narcotics that are dumped into the water system by not only our facilities, but nationwide.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>The Food and Drug Administration even has a list of medications on their website which includes “expired, unwanted, or unused medicines you should flush down the sink or toilet to help prevent danger to people and pets in the home.” But what about the people or pets drinking that water? Potential health concerns from the presence of pharmaceuticals in drinking water include increased risk of developing cancer, reproductive impairment, and the selection and development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>The problem is that current water treatment plants are not equipped with the technology to filter many of the active chemical compounds that make up prescription drugs, causing America’s waters to be tainted by low concentrations of various pharmaceuticals. These antibiotics, hormone chemicals and narcotic waste all not only enter our bodies but have negative effects on the fish and wildlife in our lakes, rivers, and streams as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Although The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hosts National Prescription Drug Take-Back events where community members can safely dispose of their unwanted and unused prescription drugs, these are few and far between. The website disposemymeds.org allows consumers to enter their zip code and find pharmacies that will accept their unwanted medications. Upon searching, I located eight pharmacies within a 20-mile radius of my house. I’ve been an attorney for nearly 30 years and have dealt with many cases involving drug abuse, however it was only after specific research that I was informed about this resource for the public.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>We as the community must hold ourselves and others accountable for the safe disposal of unused prescription medications. Should we wait until scientists can link disease to the contamination of our water with pharmaceutical agents? With the overwhelming amount of funds dedicated to promoting health to prevent future disease, I believe that water safety and the proper disposal of medications needs to be further examined. Your health could depend on it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt'><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Peter J. Lucido is state representative for the 36th District.</span></i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara","sans-serif"'>Margaret Shield, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara","sans-serif"'>Community Environmental Health Strategies, LLC<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara","sans-serif"'>Smart Science & Policy for Our Health and Environment<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara","sans-serif"'>Seattle, WA <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:margaret.shield@CEHstrategies.com"><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara","sans-serif";color:blue'>margaret.shield@CEHstrategies.com</span></i></a><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara","sans-serif"'>mobile: 206-499-5452<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Candara","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.CEHstrategies.com"><span style='color:blue'>www.CEHstrategies.com</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>