November 10, 2011
For Immediate Release

Missouri Drug Take-Back event a success

ASHLAND, Mo. – The pile of collected pharmaceuticals weighed nearly 480 pounds, roughly 218,000 individual pills. The heaped medications were collected as part of the second Drug Take-Back effort supported by the Missouri Rural Water Association and held on October 29.

 “I’m really pleased about this,” said MRWA Special Projects Circuit Rider Brad Rayburn. “Communities are responding to the message.”

Disposal of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and other personal care products became a prominent issue in the water industry after studies showed the unused medicine, typically flushed down the toilet, was contaminating water sources and drinking water. Treatment facilities are not equipped to remove these chemicals from wastewater, leaving traces to be discharged into the environment and potential enter drinking water supplies.

Despite the contamination threat, consumers are often advised to flush any unused medications to prevent misused or drug abuse.

“There’s a disconnect when it comes to throwing something in the trash or flushing it down a stool,” Rayburn said. “We don’t associate this act with something that jeopardizes our drinking water.”

MRWA recruited 19 communities and water utilities to participate in the state-wide take back day. Those locations set-up drop boxes to collect unused pills, capsules, liquids and inhalants. All collected material was turned-over by local law enforcement to the Drug Enforcement Agency to be destroyed in special incinerators.

 The MRWA sponsored drop-off points included: Callaway County Public Water Supply District (PWSD) 2; City of Fulton; City of Lexington Police Department; City of Memphis; City of Oak Grove; City of Richland; City of Truesdale; City of Unionville; City of Vienna; City of Warrenton; City of Willard; Daviess County PWSD 3; Fort Leonard Wood; Greene County PWSD 5; Macon County PWSD 1; PWSD 2 of Lafyette, Johnson, and Saline Counties; Schuyler County Health Department; Tarkio Board of Public Works; and Village of Collins. The single highest collection site was the City of Memphis, collecting 130 pounds of unused pharmaceuticals.

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