For Release: Friday, October 9, 2009
DEC Slates Pharmaceutical Collection Events
Effort Aims to Increase Awareness of Drugs' Impact on Water Quality
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced seven collection events taking place this month to encourage the proper disposal of unused and unwanted household pharmaceuticals. The collections will take place between Oct. 19-24 in communities throughout the state as part of DEC's "Don't Flush Your Drugs" campaign to raise awareness about the impacts of pharmaceuticals in water.
This is an emerging environmental issue and the consequences are not yet clear," Commissioner Grannis said. "New Yorkers can help out by not flushing unused drugs and instead using alternate disposal methods. Offering local collection events is one way DEC is helping to get the word out about proper disposal of unused or unwanted pharmaceuticals to help protect our water supplies."
Staff from DEC's Pollution Prevention Unit, Environmental Conservation Officers and regional offices will be collecting the pharmaceuticals. Sharps and mercury thermometers will not be collected.
Residents can bring unwanted pharmaceuticals to the collection events listed below or safely dispose of them according to instructions that can be found on DEC's website. DEC reminds the public to always keep all medications in a safe secure place in the home (out of reach of children) to prevent accidental ingestion or illicit recreational drug use.
New York State has been a leading voice in efforts to encourage people to keep pharmaceuticals out of public waterways. Pharmaceuticals can reach waterways from a variety of sources, including the flushing of unused drugs by households and institutions, discharges from drug manufacturing facilities, and from drugs that pass through our bodies relatively unchanged and are flushed into sanitary sewer systems. Typical wastewater treatment is not designed to remove pharmaceuticals. The federal government is studying the impacts drugs may have on water quality.
DEC Pharmaceuticals Collection Schedule:
Hudson Valley
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
DEC Region 3 Offices
21 South Putt Corners Rd., New Paltz
Contact: Terry Laibach (845) 256-3141
Capital Region
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
DEC Region 4 Offices
1130 N. Westcott Rd., Schenectady
Contact: Allison Elliott (518) 357-2348
Adirondack Park (2 locations)
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
DEC Region 5 Offices
1115 NYS Rt. 86, Raybrook
Contact: Richard Wagner (518) 897-1241
and
DEC Region 5 Sub-Office
232 Golf Course Rd., Warrensburg
Contact: Richard Wagner (518) 897-1241
North Country
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
DEC Region 6 Offices
317 Washington St., Watertown
Contact: Ed Blackmer (315) 785-2522
Central NY
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
DEC Region 7 Offices
615 Erie Blvd. West, Syracuse
Contact: Diane Carlton (315) 426-7403
Finger Lakes
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
DEC Region 8 Offices
6274 E. Avon-Lima Rd., Avon
Contact: Lisa Porter (585) 226-5402
To learn more about the above pharmaceutical collection events, possible future events, and the safe disposal of drugs, log on to the DEC website. Any date, location, or time changes will be noted on the website.
