 "We estimate more than 10,000
households will be served through these events this fall," said
Scott. "In partnership with local communities and organizations,
this program gives Illinois homeowners the opportunity to dispose of
common household products that are potentially hazardous."The
program, which began in 1988, has already served 380,667 households.
Since the program's inception, there have been 429 one-day events,
and 74,396 55-gallon drums of toxic materials have been collected
from Illinois citizens.
The collections give citizens the opportunity to safely dispose
of unused or leftover household products commonly found in homes,
basements and garages statewide. The materials are handled in an
environmentally sound manner, diverting them from landfills and
waterways.
"The program is beneficial not only to citizens who are able to
get potentially harmful chemicals out of their homes, but it also
benefits the environment by keeping them out of landfills by using
various treatment technologies and recycling," said Scott.
Citizens are encouraged to bring oil-based paints, thinners,
chemical cleaners, antifreeze, motor oil, gasoline, kerosene, weed
killers, insecticides, pesticides, adhesives, hobby chemicals,
household batteries and similar products. Fluorescent and other
high-intensity discharge lamps may also be brought to the
collections. Residents are also encouraged to bring mercury and
mercury-containing products, such as fever thermometers, old
thermostats and elemental mercury, as part of an effort to reduce
the amount of this hazardous material in our environment.
The Illinois EPA is also collecting unused and unwanted
pharmaceuticals to prevent them from being flushed down the drain
and ending up in a water source that may ultimately become a
drinking water supply. Studies have linked hormone exposure to
reproductive defects in fish, and environmental exposure to
antibiotics can lead to the development of drug-resistant germs.
(Please see fact sheet at right for more
information.)
Items not accepted include explosives, fire extinguishers,
smoke detectors, medical waste, sharps, agricultural chemicals and
all business wastes. Propane tanks and lead-acid auto batteries
cannot be accepted at most of the events but should be taken to
local recyclers. The public is encouraged to find alternative uses
for latex paint since it is not considered hazardous.
(See schedule below.)
For more information concerning the collections, please call
217-785-8604. The schedule and other collection information can also
be found at
www.epa.state.il.us.
In addition, the following long-term facilities are available for
disposal of household hazardous waste: (Please
phone ahead to determine availability and operating hours.)
-
Naperville:
1971 Brookdale Road
Fire Station No. 4
Phone 630-420-6700, ext. 7559
-
Rockford:
3333 Kishwaukee
Rock River Reclamation District
Phone 815-967-6737
-
Lake County:
The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County operates a long-term
household chemical waste collection program. Information and a
collection schedule are available by calling 847-336-9340or at
www.co.lake.il.us/swalco/.
-
Chicago:
1150 N. North Branch, on Goose Island
Visit
www.cityofchicago.org, phone 311 or for general information
call 312-744-7672.
[to top of second column] |
Disposing of unwanted, unused
pharmaceuticals
The common practice of flushing pharmaceuticals down the drain is
no longer considered a desirable method of disposing of unused
pharmaceuticals. Wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are
not designed to treat pharmaceutical waste, and the drugs often end
up in our waterways and ultimately in our drinking water. Recent
studies have found traces of painkillers, estrogen, antidepressants,
blood-pressure medicines and others in water samples from 30 states.
Studies have linked hormone exposure to reproductive defects in fish
and have linked environmental exposure to antibiotics to the
development of drug-resistant germs.
Many public health and safety regulations apply to the disposal
of unused pharmaceuticals, and the Illinois EPA is working with
stakeholders to find convenient and environmentally responsible ways
to manage waste pharmaceuticals.
Waste pharmaceuticals include over-the-counter and prescription
medications, controlled substances and personal care products. These
wastes come in the form of solid pills and capsules, creams, liquids
and aerosols. Pharmaceuticals intended for pets should be treated
the same as those prescribed to humans.
Illinois EPA recommended handling and disposal options for
households
1. REDUCE pharmaceutical waste whenever possible.
-
Use all antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor. Not using all
doses of an antibiotic could lead to development of
antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.
-
Buy an amount that can reasonably be used before the expiration
date.
-
Ask your doctor to prescribe only enough to see if a new
medication will work for you and in the lowest dose advisable.
2. DISPOSE of the remainder properly.
-
Whenever possible, take your unused pharmaceuticals to a
pharmaceutical collection program or event. Illinois EPA sponsors
household hazardous waste collections. Scheduled collection events
are listed at
www.epa.state.il.us.
Note: If you choose to store your waste while you wait for a
pharmaceutical collection event, please minimize the risk of
accidental poisoning or overdose by storing medications out of reach
of children or in a locked cabinet.
-
If you dispose of your unused pharmaceuticals in the trash, be
sure to do the following:
-
Remove or mark over all labels that identify the materials as
pharmaceuticals or that could provide personal information about
you, including prescription information.
-
Render them unattractive to children and thieves by dissolving
them in a small amount of water or alcohol, or by grinding them up
with coffee grounds or kitty litter.
-
Put them in a secondary container or small plastic bag and hide
them in your trash.
-
Never burn pharmaceuticals or personal care products in a burn
barrel. Uncontrolled burning can create dioxins and other toxic air
pollutants.
[Text from Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency news release received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
