Collection Program for Unused Medicine

Veolia ES Technical Solutions is teaming up with counties in Wisconsin and Michigan's upper peninsula to collect unused prescription drugs and other pharmaceuticals.  All collected medications are incinerated at one of the company's facilities.  The program is designed to help solve the problem of how to dispose of medications in an environmentally safe manner.  There have been ten collections so far this year.

Record Turnout in Milwaukee

"We just had our highest turnout ever at a collection in Milwaukee County," says John Mueller, operations manager.  "Last year, 125 people came with unused pharmaceuticals.  This year we collected from over 500 people.  The awareness of the program has increased dramatically."

Milwaukee County's Medicine Collection Day was held at Miller Park.  It was publicized through advertisements and articles in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, announcements on the Miller Park message board and cards handed out by pharmacies.  Law enforcement officials were available to accept controlled substances (e.g., vicodin, oxycotton, percocet), a requirement by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.  Among the medications that Veolia can accept are antibiotics, hormone regulators, pain killers, chemotherapy drugs, and over-the-counter remedies.

Study Identifies Contaminants in Waterways

The need to educate people about disposal of unused pharmaceuticals evolved from a 2002 study to determine the presence of pharmaceuticals, personal care products and other organic contaminants in America's waterways performed by the U.S. Geological Survey.  They sampled 139 streams throughout the United Sates and found one or more of the targeted contaminants in 80% of the sampled streams.  The most frequently detected compounds included steroids, pesticides, over-the-counter drugs and detergent metabolites.  Abnormalities in the reproductive systems of fish have been reported and linked to elevated levels of pharmaceutical compound.

"What do you do when you have medication leftover from an operation of illness?" asks Mueller.  "Most people wash them down the sink or throw them in the garbage.  Either way, they can find their way into our waterways.  We are offering a safe environment in which people can bring in any type of drug with no questions asked.  We accept it and make sure it's disposed of propertly."

To request service and locate the nearest VES office, please call 888-262-4910.