Disposal of unused or expired medication is a problematic issue in many communities. Medications disposed of in the toilet enter the waste-water stream and can contaminate local water supplies. With the help of Susan Waite from the Amherst, DPW, we offer a list of "best practices" for medication disposal. If you have further questions, please call the Amherst DPW (259-3049) or Health Department (259-3077) for further assistance.
Best Practice: hazardous waste incineration
Option 1: Bring medications to an unwanted medicine collection event
The best option for unwanted medicine disposal is incineration. Unfortunately organizing a medicine collection event is expensive and complicated because the police and a pharmacist must be present. A few communities in the region have the funding to support such collections and may be willing to take material from Amherst. Call the Recycling Coordinator at 259-3049 to see if there is a collection opportunity in the near future.
Option 2: Bring medications to your pharmacy or physician
Some pharmacies and medical practice may or may not accept unwanted medicine for disposal, but it is always worth asking.
Option 3: Not best practice, but 10X better than drain or toilet disposal:
Carefully prepare the medicine for disposal in your regular household trash (which typically is sent to a landfill). Here is the recommended process:
1. Keep material in it's original container. Labels may contain safety info and caps are usually childproof, but scratch out identifying information about the patient.
2. Modify the contents to discourage consumption. Add a small amount of water to pills or capsules. To liquid medications, add table salt, flour, kitty litter, charcoal, or powdered spice like turmeric or mustard.
3. Seal & conceal. Close the container and seal with packing or duct tape and put it inside a non-transparent bag or container such as an empty yogurt or margarine container to ensure contents cannot be seen. If you use a recyclable container seal it with packing or duct tape and write “Do not open, Do not recycle” on the container.
4. Discard in your household garbage. Do not place in recycling bin. Do not conceal medicines in food products because they could be inadvertently consumed by wildlife scavengers.
Compiled from information from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, AARP, and the MA Dept of Environmental Protection.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
School Supplies Pose Toxic Threat to Children’s Health
New Guide to Help Parents Make Safer Choices for Back-to-School Shopping
Boston, MA – Massachusetts health advocates applaud the new Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies from the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ).
The new guide gives parents specific recommendations for buying safer, PVC-free school supplies in over 20 product categories.
Just in time for back-to-school shopping, parents across the Commonwealth are stocking up on binders and lunchboxes. But while it’s easy to know the healthiest foods to pack in those lunchboxes, many parents are not aware of the toxic plastic used to make them. In fact, the average child’s character-themed backpack is filled with supplies and materials made from one of the most toxic plastics, polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl).
“Numerous studies have found that young children are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of chemicals released by PVC. Last year, the government banned phthalates commonly used in PVC from children’s toys. These known hazardous chemicals were banned from our children’s toys, but can still be found in school supplies marketed directly for young children,” said Elizabeth Saunders of Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, a broad coalition in Massachusetts working to pass laws and policies that prevent harm to our health from toxic chemicals. “Parents can easily protect their children by shopping PVC-free. There are many safer PVC-free products available and even being sold alongside the toxic PVC items at your local retailer. Read the labels, and give your child a healthy start to the new school year.”
“Shopping shouldn’t be a game of roulette, but too often it’s impossible to know what chemicals are in products we buy for our children,” said Representative Jay Kaufman of Lexington, a leading proponent of legislation mandating that safer alternatives to toxics be used in manufacturing. “This guide will give parents the power to make smarter decisions.”
Although this toxic plastic is found in many name-brand products, parents can find safer PVC-free products. CHEJ is releasing the expanded 2nd Annual Edition of their popular Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies to help parents make informed shopping choices. Over twenty categories of school supplies, from backpacks to art supplies, are covered in the guide. As a companion piece to the full guide, a pocket guide with top-tips and at-a-glance advice is also available. A few of the top tips for avoiding toxic PVC school supplies are:
1. Avoid backpacks with shiny plastic designs as they often contain PVC and may contain lead.
2. Use cloth lunchboxes or metal lunchboxes. Many lunchboxes are made of PVC, or coated with PVC on the inside.
3. Used cardboard, fabric-covered, or polypropylene binders. Most 3-ring binders are made of PVC.
“This guide gives parents and teachers the guidance they need in a format that is easy to use and understand,” said Ellie Goldberg, Newton, Vice President of Legislation for the Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association (PTA). “But parents want to know: Why are we allowing companies to sell toxic school supplies such as lunch boxes, backpacks and binders at all? We need legislation that puts children’s health and safety first, that requires companies to make safe products and to eliminate hazards from our homes and schools.”
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is unique among plastics because it contains dangerous chemical additives used to soften or stabilize it. These harmful chemicals include phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be toxic to a child’s health. Over 90% of all phthalates are used in PVC products such as school supplies. Federal law has banned the use of phthalates in children’s toys, but not children’s school supplies and other PVC products found in schools. Lunchboxes, binders, vinyl backpacks, and even art supplies are frequently made out of PVC.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful health effects of toxic chemicals used in PVC. Recent studies have linked PVC flooring in the home to increased rates of autism and asthma in children. Chemicals that evaporate or leech out of PVC products may contribute to developmental disorders and damage to the liver, central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems.
For a copy of the PVC-Free Back-to-School Guide, visit http://www.chej.org/, or click here.
Boston, MA – Massachusetts health advocates applaud the new Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies from the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ).
The new guide gives parents specific recommendations for buying safer, PVC-free school supplies in over 20 product categories.
Just in time for back-to-school shopping, parents across the Commonwealth are stocking up on binders and lunchboxes. But while it’s easy to know the healthiest foods to pack in those lunchboxes, many parents are not aware of the toxic plastic used to make them. In fact, the average child’s character-themed backpack is filled with supplies and materials made from one of the most toxic plastics, polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl).
“Numerous studies have found that young children are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of chemicals released by PVC. Last year, the government banned phthalates commonly used in PVC from children’s toys. These known hazardous chemicals were banned from our children’s toys, but can still be found in school supplies marketed directly for young children,” said Elizabeth Saunders of Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, a broad coalition in Massachusetts working to pass laws and policies that prevent harm to our health from toxic chemicals. “Parents can easily protect their children by shopping PVC-free. There are many safer PVC-free products available and even being sold alongside the toxic PVC items at your local retailer. Read the labels, and give your child a healthy start to the new school year.”
“Shopping shouldn’t be a game of roulette, but too often it’s impossible to know what chemicals are in products we buy for our children,” said Representative Jay Kaufman of Lexington, a leading proponent of legislation mandating that safer alternatives to toxics be used in manufacturing. “This guide will give parents the power to make smarter decisions.”
Although this toxic plastic is found in many name-brand products, parents can find safer PVC-free products. CHEJ is releasing the expanded 2nd Annual Edition of their popular Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies to help parents make informed shopping choices. Over twenty categories of school supplies, from backpacks to art supplies, are covered in the guide. As a companion piece to the full guide, a pocket guide with top-tips and at-a-glance advice is also available. A few of the top tips for avoiding toxic PVC school supplies are:
1. Avoid backpacks with shiny plastic designs as they often contain PVC and may contain lead.
2. Use cloth lunchboxes or metal lunchboxes. Many lunchboxes are made of PVC, or coated with PVC on the inside.
3. Used cardboard, fabric-covered, or polypropylene binders. Most 3-ring binders are made of PVC.
“This guide gives parents and teachers the guidance they need in a format that is easy to use and understand,” said Ellie Goldberg, Newton, Vice President of Legislation for the Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association (PTA). “But parents want to know: Why are we allowing companies to sell toxic school supplies such as lunch boxes, backpacks and binders at all? We need legislation that puts children’s health and safety first, that requires companies to make safe products and to eliminate hazards from our homes and schools.”
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is unique among plastics because it contains dangerous chemical additives used to soften or stabilize it. These harmful chemicals include phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be toxic to a child’s health. Over 90% of all phthalates are used in PVC products such as school supplies. Federal law has banned the use of phthalates in children’s toys, but not children’s school supplies and other PVC products found in schools. Lunchboxes, binders, vinyl backpacks, and even art supplies are frequently made out of PVC.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful health effects of toxic chemicals used in PVC. Recent studies have linked PVC flooring in the home to increased rates of autism and asthma in children. Chemicals that evaporate or leech out of PVC products may contribute to developmental disorders and damage to the liver, central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems.
For a copy of the PVC-Free Back-to-School Guide, visit http://www.chej.org/, or click here.
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