McKean County, PA Unwanted Medication Collection Program Bradford Regional Medical Center Bradford, PA, McKean County Saturday, May 16, 2009, 8 to Noon

The Beginning! Allegheny, Susquehanna and Genessee Rivers

Partners and Resources PA CleanWays – 2 million dollar insurance, volunteers, DEP Household Hazardous Grant Administration Penn State Extension – Leadership, advertising, and organization. McKean Conservation District – Leadership, volunteers, and Water Resources Education Network Grant (WREN) Administration.

Partners and Resources Bradford Regional Medical Center – Site and Pharmacist Environmental Enterprises Incorporated, Cincinnati, Ohio – Non – controlled substances McKean County Sherriff and Deputy – Security and Controlled Substances Hamot Medical Center, Erie, PA - Incinerator

Partners and Resources McKean County Commissioners – Political and Financial Support PA DEP – Household Hazardous Grant – 50% of Costs League of Women Voters – WREN Grant – $ – Unwanted Medication Collection Event – Educational PowerPoint – Personal Care Home Survey

Unwanted Medication Collection Program Saturday, May 16, 2009 Bradford Regional Medical Center Parking Lot 8AM to Noon

Educational PowerPoint OBJECTIVES Explain the Issue Share USGS and Dr Volz Research Information Tour of Wastewater Treatment Plant Send NO Flushing Message Advertise the Unwanted Medication Collection Event

Research Data Fish Study – June 14, 2008 Dr. Conrad Volz, University of Pittsburgh, Control Study on Upper Allegheny River

You Wouldn’t Do This!

So Don’t Do This!

Placemat – 12,000 Distributed

Survey Results Cameron, McKean, and Potter County Personal Care Homes 5 Facilities Surveyed Total Beds = 459 Average = 91.8 Beds % Beds Occupied – 93% Average

Medication Disposal Needs Increasing – 2 (40%) Decreasing – 0 Same – 3 (60%)

Type of Pharmacy Used Mail – Order Pharmacy – 1 Long Term Care Pharmacy – 4 Veterans Pharmacy – 1 Pharmacy Management Group - 1

Reasons for Unwanted Medications Patient leaves or dies – 3 Allergic or adverse reaction – 1 Medication Expired – 2 Medication No longer required – 5 Patient refused treatment – 3 Excess dosage – 1 Medication dropped or spilled - 4

Reasons Why They Flush Does not flush – 1 Medicare Policy – 1 Medicaid Policy – 1 Drug Enforcement Agency policy – 1 Facility Guidelines – 2 Other (Disposed of in Sharps Container) - 1

If flushed- Water Destination Wastewater sent to Sewage Treatment Plant - 4

How Often Do You Dispose As necessary – 2 Once/week – 1 Once/month - 1

Who Should Create Alternative to Flushing State Government – 1 Federal Government – 3 Pharmaceutical Companies – 1

Pharmaceutical Movement A B C D E F

Who Is Flushing We found that 3 facilities are flushing 100% of their controlled substances. One Facility Manager Suggestion: – “Have a bolted down safe that can receive controlled substances and then Pharmacy Representative visits and opens and empties periodically. “

Thank You Jim Clark, Extension Educator Penn State Coop Extension of McKean Heather McKean, Watershed Specialist McKean County Conservation District