[Top] LECOM School of Pharmacy students were among the volunteers counting and cataloging pharmaceuticals and personal care products turned in at the recent medicine collection day in Erie.[Middle] Marti Martz, Gus Hegner of ECS&R and Dr. Elliott Cook of the LECOM School of Pharmacy examine items brought in for the medicine collection by an area participant.[Bottom] Lake Erie Allegheny Earth Force Education Director, Margarita Dangel helps participants find the pharmaceutical collection site. |
The first-ever Erie County medicine collection day proved two important points. The number of accumulated pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) that need proper disposal is astounding and there is a great need for regular events such as this one, facilitated by Pennsylvania Sea Grant. In order to properly discard antibiotics, anti-depressants, veterinary drugs, birth control hormones, ibuprofen and other over-the-counter drugs, and PPCPs, staff staged the local medicine collection event in Erie. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provided funding for the event. The agency's challenge to the Great Lakes Basin was to collect 1 million pills. The last count showed that programs collected more than four times the EPA challenge goal. "In just four hours more than 120 gallons of expired or unused PPCPs including 70,000 non-controlled pills, 4,000 controlled pills, and 400 personal care products were brought in by 87 area residents," said Sara Grisé, Pennsylvania Sea Grant coastal outreach specialist, one of the event organizers. But think of the thousands who did not participate! The amount collected in such a short time from so few demonstrates the enormity of the problem of what to do with these unwanted substances. The following situations also came to light during the drive:
Although the event opened a local discussion on the issue of disposal of unwanted/expired drugs and PPCPs, the concern remains of the proper way to dispose of them after this collection. The suggested method on some government sites (including the White House drug policy site) continues to be "throw them in the trash or flush them down the drain." Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, LECOM School of Pharmacy staff members who played a critical role in the collection say these methods are unacceptable. Dr. Sana R. Sukkari, assistant professor in the department of pharmacy practice, points to the growing concerns about the adverse effects of synthetic chemicals that are water-soluble. She says: "While these trace chemicals may be detected at very low levels in the water, the accumulation is real and constant and Lake Erie is no exception. PPCPs and medications have the potential for serious risks during developmentally sensitive times in unborn babies. "Well-documented cases of endocrine-disrupting effects in animals have shown that exposure to certain pharmaceuticals results in abnormal development in fish and other wildlife. "Pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies must recognize their responsibilities regarding the safe disposal of medications and raise awareness and educate the public on the dangers of improper or unsafe disposal practices," she added. Water quality problems caused by toxins such as pharmaceuticals and PPCPs can only be solved when individuals and organizations work together for acceptable solutions. Pennsylvania Sea Grant, the city of Erie, Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force, LECOM School of Pharmacy, and Erie Times-News in Education partnered to educate and actively involve area citizens in the event. "LECOM School of Pharmacy's short-term goal for the event was to support local community programs in efforts to protect Lake Erie and its surrounding ecological system," said Dr. Sukkari. She also expressed her gratitude to Dr. Elliot Cook, Dr. Larry D. Sasich, chair of the Pharmacy Practice Department, and the Class of 2009 students who volunteered to make medicine collection day a success. Sukkari and her colleagues are taking the next step to develop a waste collection model. "The Safe Disposal of Old Medications and PCPs Program" is designed to gain public support for long-term and sustainable solutions that are cost-effective. Sukkari says: "We would like to explore the possibilities of having a mandatory safe disposal program throughout Pennsylvania. This would require community pharmacies to accept these products and to contract with medical waste companies to ensure appropriate disposal of these products." Citizens can do more by asking their lawmakers to enact laws that support mandatory safe disposal programs. They can also do their part by only using PPCPs when absolutely necessary, in the smallest amounts necessary, and reading the label for harmful ingredients before purchasing personal care products. For more information: : : Contact Sara Grisé at 814-217-9011 or sng121@psu.edu. |