SPRINGFIELD POLICE & DEA COLLECTING UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS APRIL 30

for more information:
Ernie Slottag 789-2235

The Springfield Police Department (SPD) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are providing an opportunity for the public to help prevent pill abuse and keep water supplies clean by collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. On Saturday, April 30^th, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., SPD and DEA are collecting medications for disposal at Prevention First at 2800 Montvale Drive. This program is anonymous and all efforts will be made to protect the anonymity of individuals disposing of medications. No questions or requests for identification will be made.

“We hope this collection will bring focus to the issue of improper pharmaceutical use and disposal in our community,” said Springfield Police Chief Robert Williams. “This collection is an opportunity for our department to assist the DEA in their enforcement, prevention and treatment efforts for prescription drug abuse, while also providing an environmental benefit by keeping these substances that would otherwise be disposed of improperly, out of waterways.”

Unwanted or expired medicines in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are high, as are the numbers of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

The familiar methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—pose potential safety and environmental hazards. Pharmaceuticals thrown in the trash can leach into groundwater, while those that are flushed can damage septic systems and end up in nearby waterways.

While not an identified public health concern, recent studies have identified a wide range of pharmaceutical chemicals in rivers, streams, groundwater, and drinking water nationwide.

City Water, Light and Power (CWLP) officials noted the presence of these substances has been a topic of research in the drinking water industry for a number of years. CWLP Water Division Manager Tom Skelly said pharmaceutical collections are a good way to protect water supplies and the environment. “The mere fact that we are finding these products in our waterways is an indication of how mankind has touched the environment,” he said. “These substances, which are not always fully removed by normal treatment methods, largely end up in the water because of use and excretion of medications by people in our society.”

Medicines collected by SPD and DEA will be properly incinerated. Controlled, non-controlled, and over-the-counter medications will be collected. Liquid products and creams in their original containers will be accepted. Sharps will not be collected. Participants may dispose of medication in its original container or by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into the disposal box. If an original container is submitted, individuals will be asked to remove any identifying information from the prescription label.