City fires up new drug incinerator

 

[July 07, 2018] 

LINCOLN 

On Friday morning, the Lincoln Police Department fired up its new drug incinerator for the first time, burning over 100 pounds of expired and unwanted drugs that have been turned in to the department since the first of the year.

The operator for the day was Officer Michael Fruge, and for the first burn several folks were on hand including news media, Lincoln Police Chief Paul Adams, Officer Christy Fruge, members of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, Logan County Department of Public Health Administrator Don Cavi; and Angie Whitman, who is the leader of the ALMH Community Health Collaborative CATCH program for local schools.

The incinerator was funded for the Lincoln Police Department by the ALMH Hospital Foundation and Community Health Collaborative as part of the fight against opioid drug addiction in Logan County.

The CHC Opioid Task Force work focuses on eradicating drug abuse and addiction in our communities through a four-pillar approach that includes education about drug usage, steps that will reduce availability of drugs in the community, treatment for those who are addicted to opioids, and arrests and prosecution of those who are distributing illegal drugs in our local neighborhoods.

Part of the program includes reducing the availability of unused drugs and expired drugs. Chief Paul Adams talked about the benefit of a daily drug take back program in Logan County. He noted that many times people who have been prescribed a powerful opioid based pain killer for a legitimate reason have left-over medications after they have recovered. It is common place that those drugs are left setting in a medicine cabinet unused.

Having the pills left in the home is an open invitation for family members who may already be addicted or who are experimenting to steal the drugs for personal use. Getting them out of the home eliminates that opportunity. He noted that drugs may also be stolen during home invasions, so not having them in the house in the first place is a key component of reducing drug availability in our community.

In the past it has been recommended that unused drugs be flushed in the toilet or put down the garbage disposal. We now know that this is an unsafe practice that is having an impact on the public waterways throughout our country. Cavi said that even in rural communities studies are now showing that drugs flushed into private septic systems may be having a negative impact on groundwater.

For drugs in a solid pill, capsule, or tablet form, the best way to dispose of them is through incineration.

Officer Michael Fruge’ and Chief Adams talked about the incinerator. The machine is a custom built piece of equipment that was purchased from a fabricator in Iowa at a cost of just under $10,000. The seller delivered the incinerator and installed it on city property. The machine is a ‘two-burn’ system. The first incineration is of the drugs inside a large fire-proof box. The second incineration is of the smoke residue coming out of the chimney of the furnace. With the two burner system, the discharge from the chimney is clean, odor free, and poses no threat to the public.

Fruge said that he would be spending the majority of the day burning the more than 100 pounds of pills that have been collected. He noted it is the first time the department has fired up the furnace, and it will be a learning experience.

He said that the fabricator had recommended that the drugs be placed in the burner in small enough quantities to allow really good airflow within the firebox. The drugs are then to be burnt for 20 minutes. Fruge’ said he would run the burner the full 20 minutes then check to see how well everything had burned. If needed he would burn a second time, and then adjust the quantities he puts in the burner for each incineration.

Holding a one-gallon bag of unwanted drugs that had been left by one household, he said that burning the pills is like burning magazines. Because they are very dense, like a magazine, there is a chance that the exterior portions of a bag like this will burn but leave the interior intact.

Officer Christy Fruge represents the police department on the opioid task force and was given one small bag of drugs to place in the firebox as a ceremonial gesture signifying the first successful drug disposal in the city. Fruge’ who works a great deal with prevention programs such as the opioid task force and the city’s D.A.RE. program, also spoke about a second program that the city is utilizing as a result of her work with the task force.

Lincoln now offers a “Safe Passages” program for those who are addicted to opioids and other habit forming drugs and want to break that addiction. Through the safe passages program those people can come to the Lincoln Police Department without fear of arrest and prosecution and can seek the help they need to become drug free.

Fruge’ said that since the creation of the program, eleven people have come to the LPD seeking and receiving help. She said on its own that sounds like a small number compared to what statistics show the addiction rates are in this area. But, in her mind, that was eleven major victories.

She shared that she had gone to an addiction related conference where she was with representatives from much larger communities. When she said that Lincoln has helped eleven individuals in the last six to eight months, the group felt that the LPD was doing a good job and encouraged the department to keep moving forward.

The incinerator on Friday was used to burn drugs collected only at the LPD, and also some drug evidence provided by the city and county was destroyed. Adams explained that the items being destroyed from evidence files would be things that were no longer needed because the offenders had been prosecuted.

Cavi said that the health department is also collecting unwanted medications and will be turning those over to the LPD for incineration as the supplies build up.

It was noted by both Cavi and Christy Fruge’ that the incinerator is not for liquids. Both make the same recommendation for how to dispose of liquids.

Pour kitty litter into a zipper top bag then pour the liquid in on top of it, so it will solidify with the litter. Then place the bag in the trash.

Unwanted drugs may be taken to the Lincoln Police Department or the Logan County Department of Public Health during normal working hours. Adams noted that at the new police station on Fifth Street there is a secure steel deposit box outside the front door of the station. Drugs may be deposited there any time day or night.

If you have unwanted medications in your cabinet, you are encouraged to dispose of them in this appropriate fashion. Drugs should be removed from pill bottles and dumped into a closeable plastic bag. Pills can then be deposited in collection boxes at the Health Department or at the Lincoln Police Department. The process is completely anonymous, you do not have to fill out any forms, or tell anyone your name. You will not be asked how you acquired the drugs.

If you are a parent or grandparent with teenagers, please remember that experimentation with drugs often begins with pills taken from the medicine cabinet. Being responsible with drug disposal is one way you can help reduce the risk of addiction.

To speak with someone about the drug disposal program contact the Lincoln Police Department on their non-emergency phone number [phone] or the Logan County Department of Public Health at [phone].

To learn more about the safe passages program contact the LPD or follow this link in Lincoln Daily News - Lincoln Police Department Safe Passages Initiative (pdf).

[Nila Smith]