Waste Management and Stewardship Thomas J. Lauro, P.E. Commissioner, Department of Environmental Facilities Susan Gerry Senior Assistant to the County Executive 2008 Watershed Science & Technical Conference Panel Discussion – Emerging Contaminants West Point, NY September 16, 2008

Take Back Programs In addition to keeping contaminants out of our source water, these programs help prevent –Poisonings –Drug Abuse –Use of Out of Date Medications

Types of Take Back Programs Finite Events (1 day, 1 week, 6/year...) Continuous Programs Mailers Stewardship Programs

Finite Programs Allen County, IN – 2 Events per Year Police Station and Senior Center Chicago, IL – One Day –25 Locations –Collection at Senior Centers, Hospitals, Police Stations –Collected 1,600 Lbs

Finite Programs Bay Area, CA - One Week –Collection at Pharmacies, City Hall and Senior Centers –~$24.77 per Lb Westchester County – 9 Events per Year HRD Days –~ $13 per Lb Alachua, FL – 5 Month Program –12 Locations, pharmacies, Clinics, County –~ $53 per Lb

Continuous Clark County, WA – 12 Year Old Program –3 Permanent Hazardous Waste Facilities and Pharmacies –No Controlled Substances King County, WA –27 Locations, Pharmacies, Nursing Homes –~ $5.60 per Lb

Continuous Kendall County, IL –All substances collected at Police Stations LaCrosse, WI –All substances collected at a permanent Hazardous Waste Facility –~ $12,000 - $15,000 per year

Mailers Maine –DEA formulated legislation –Consumers use prepaid mailers to send unwanted meds to DEA –Mailers are available at pharmacies, doctors offices and post offices –No funding available, program not yet implemented

Stewardship Australia - RUM –Return Unwanted Meds –Meds collected at pharmacies since 1998 –5,000 pharmacies participate –Commonwealth sponsors all costs –Annual cost $751,000 or ~ $1.47 per Lb –Pharmaceutical wholesalers discount disposal costs

Stewardship Canada – MRP –Med Return Program –Post Residual Stewardship Regulations 1996 –Residual Management Group –Funded by Brand Owners –856 pharmacies participate –Annual cost $170,500 or ~ $3.25 per Lb

Take Back the Meds Program Westchester County enlisted available assistance and expertise; –NYSDEC –NYSDOH –Westchester Rockland Society of Pharmacists –RESCO

Household Recycling Days Public bring medications in original packaging People dont have to leave cars Volunteer Pharmacists and County Chemists Identify and inventory medications Under control and observation of County Law Enforcement

Household Recycling Day

Logging Medications Volunteer Pharmacist County Chemist County Police

Medication Disposal Westchester County collaborated with Wheelabrator, Inc for incineration. Incineration takes place at the County owned Waste to Energy plant operated by Wheelabrator. Drugs confiscated by County law enforcement were already being incinerated there.

What and How Much is Being Collected?

What is Being Collected? Montrose 3/28/08

Montrose 3/28/08 by % and (#) (7) (4) (88) (9) (173)

YTD Total C ontainers by Category YTD 1285 Lbs

YTD Percentage by Category YTD 1285 Lbs

Stewardship Where do we go from here? Expanded Public Education Expand Take Back Programs eg. Canada and Australia –Utilize the you sell it, you take it back concept –require participation by the pharmaceutical industry Require compliance through State or Federal legislation

Resources Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Web page NYSDEC Link

Questions? Thomas J. Lauro, P.E. Susan Gerry