Press Release - Friday, November 14, 2008
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Illinois EPA continues efforts to reduce pharmaceuticals in drinking water with Action Committee discussions
Illinois EPA continues efforts to reduce pharmaceuticals in drinking water with Action Committee discussions
Stakeholder groups act on findings of recent Pharmaceutical Summit and Conference
PONTIAC—The Medication Education Disposal Solutions (MEDS) Action Committee met in Pontiac today to follow up on recommendations from the Oct. 1 Meds with Water, not in Water Summit Conference sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Thursday's meeting was hosted by local teachers Paul Ritter and Eric Bohm.
The Summit Conference, attended by more than 100 representatives of such diverse groups as healthcare providers, pharmacies, pharmacists and pharmaceutical manufacturers, local governments, law enforcement, educators, and environmental advocates, supported expanded efforts for environmentally responsible disposal of expired and unwanted medications. Ritter and Bohm were among the featured speakers at the summit.
The MEDS Committee today discussed additional educational tools, including the distribution of poster designs and public service announcements to discourage flushing medications down the drain, as well as opportunities for new public-private coalitions to expand collection options.
A new web page on the Illinois EPA website (www.epa.state.il.us/medication-disposal) provides a one-stop shop for a variety of information and will be expanded as new information becomes available.
Prior to meeting at Pontiac Township High School, MEDS Committee participants also toured the Illinois American Water Co. facility in Pontiac and visited the secure medications drop box at the Pontiac Police Department, a participant in the P2D2 (Pontiac Pharmaceutical and Drug Disposal Program) started by Ritter and Bohm, along with their students.
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