PA Environment Digest

The Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste Task Force will host Allegheny County’s first collection of unwanted pharmaceuticals (prescription, over-the-counter and veterinary medications) on May 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hampton Township Community Center, 3101 McCully Road, Allison Park, Pa.

Pennsylvania residents will have an opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted or expired pharmaceutical products, including both controlled and non-controlled substances. A professional contractor, law enforcement officials and licensed pharmacists will be on site to ensure all material collected is handled in accordance with all federal, state and local laws.

“Improper disposal, such as flushing unwanted pills down the toilet, poses very serious danger to the environment since most conventional wastewater treatment cannot effectively eliminate pharmaceutical compounds,” according to Dave Mazza, regional director of the Pennsylvania Resources Council, which administers the Task Force. “Pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, steroids, and similar substances also can enter the water if disposed of in household solid waste, where they can leach into the soil of landfills.”

“On a national level, estimates point to upwards of 200 million pounds of pharmaceutical waste being generated each year, so the need for collection events is evident,” said Mazza. “The SW PA HHW Task Force is pleased to sponsor Allegheny County’s first collection as a means to educate the public and to provide a viable option for disposing of potentially hazardous products.”

The Task Force will NOT accept the following materials at the May 15 collection: durable medical goods, health and beauty aids, home care supplies, home health equipment, household hazardous waste (paint, aerosol cans, etc.), illegal substances and paraphernalia, infectious waste, institutional waste, medical devices and equipment, medical sharps (needles, lancets), mercury thermometers, personal care items, radioactive materials

The pharmaceutical collection – along with an ongoing series of events to collect household chemicals – is sponsored by the Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste Task Force, Allegheny County Health Department, UPMC and other private and public sector partners.
At the May 15 event, the participant cost will be a flat fee of $3/person and pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, call 412-488-7452 or visit the Task Force website.

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