HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.a.2) (Handout)(N andoaf)
Board Meeting of February„ 2, 2012 �Q..
Additional Written Announcements:
Staff Updates
e) Retirement of Brenda Wener
Provisional Development Services Supervisor Brenda Wener will retire on
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 after 19 years of service.
General Updates
f) District Pharmaceutical Disposal Program
This month marks the third anniversary of our Pharmaceutical Disposal Program.
The program began in 2009 as a six -month pilot study with the Walnut Creek
Police Department and the County Sheriff's Office, and a total of three collection
sites. Within a year, the program had expanded to 8 more cities in our service
area. As of today, those 11 collection sites have collected more than 16 tons of
unused, out - dated, and unwanted medications keeping them out of the
environment. (A press release is attached).
For Immediate Release MEDIA RELEASE
February 1, 2012 Contact: Michael Scahill: 925 - 229 -7310
PHARMACEUTICAL DISPOSAL PROGRAM
3 Years Old and 16 Tons Collected
Three years ago this month, the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (CCCSD) began
a six month pilot program for the safe disposal of unused medicines, both prescription
and over - the - counter. Working with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office and the
Walnut Creek Police Department, the District set up three collection sites — in the
Sheriff's Operations Center and the County Regional Medical Center in Martinez and in
the Walnut Creek City Hall.
At the end of six months, approximately 2,500 pounds of unwanted, unused and out -of-
date medicines had been dropped off at the collection sites, picked up by a licensed
medical waste hauler and incinerated.
In less than a year, the free Pharmaceutical Disposal Program had expanded to eight
more collection sites in the central portion of Contra Costa County. And as of the start of
this month, more than 32,000 pounds of pharmaceuticals have been collected and
safely disposed of by the program.
Disposal of pharmaceuticals down a toilet or drain or thrown in the trash has become a
serious public concern. Either method of disposal can allow medications to make their
way into regional water sources by passing through wastewater treatment plants or
leaching out of landfills into nearby waters. Another issue is limiting the accessibility of
prescription drugs for teenagers. Among youth between 12 and 17 years old, recent
studies have cited non - medical use of prescription drugs as high as 7.5 to 8 percent.
And a third issue is the need to decrease the likelihood of seniors taking a wrong or
outdated medication by mistake.
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"Setting up these collection sites was a partnership with the communities we all serve,"
notes James Kelly, General Manager of CCCSD. "Until the makers and vendors of
pharmaceuticals establish their own take -back programs, collection points such as
these are the best available alternative to trashing or flushing these drugs."
Along with the County Sheriff, cities and their police departments, other partners include
agencies that supplied the special double -lock collection bins located in police
departments. They are Allied Waste Services of Contra Costa County, Central Contra
Costa Solid Waste Authority, Concord Disposal, and San Ramon Regional Hospital
Foundation. Pharmaceutical Disposal Collection bins can be found at the following
locations:
City of Clayton, Police Department, City Hall
6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton
City of Concord, Police Department
1350 Galindo Street, Concord
Contra Costa Sheriff's Field Operations Building
1980 Muir Road, Martinez
County Regional Medical Center
2500 Alhambra Ave., Martinez
Town of Danville, Police Department
510 La Gonda Way, Danville
City of Martinez, Police Department, City Hall
525 Henrietta Street, Martinez
Town of Moraga, Police Department
329 Rheem Blvd., Moraga
City of Orinda, Police Department, City Hall
22 Orinda Way, Orinda
City of Pleasant Hill, Police Department
330 Civic Dr., Pleasant Hill -
City of San Ramon, Police Department
2401 Crow Canyon Rd., San Ramon
City of Walnut Creek, Police Department, City Hall
1666 North Main St., Walnut Creek