By Fay Abrahamsson, Harbor News Senior
Staff Writer:
CLINTON:
Expired, unused, and
unwanted medications, a safety risk in any home, can now be disposed of
properly at an upcoming collections day in Clinton.
Connecticut Water
Company, headquartered in Clinton,
is hosting an unwanted medications collections event at its 93 West Main Street facility. The free
event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“This is the first
year we have sponsored this type of event,” said Connecticut Water Manager of
Public Affairs Mary Ingarra, who said the company is partnering with CVS
Pharmacy and the State Department of Consumer Protection for this program.
Outdated and unused
medication can be hazardous to young people and the environment, noted
Connecticut Water Manager of Source Protection and Real Estate Cindy Guadino.
“As part of
Connecticut Water’s commitment to the environment and sustainable practices
that benefit the communities we serve, we wanted to provide an environmentally
sound way to dispose of these products,” she said.
Many years ago,
consumers were encouraged to flush old medications down the toilet. Today, that
practice is frowned upon due to the potential for the presence of medications
in drinking water.
Ingarra noted that
laws in Connecticut
prevent such an occurrence from happening.
“There are laws in
this state that prevent large bodies of water used for wastewater discharge
from being used as drinking water,” said Ingarra.
Although it was not
a requirement, Connecticut Water performed tests at two of its water treatment
plans this spring to determine if any pharmaceutically active compounds were
present.
The company tested
for 67 parameters and none of the compounds were detected at either treatment
plant, noted Ingarra.
All medications
brought to the collections event must be in their original containers from the
pharmacy. Patients’ names should be blackened out with a dark marker. Only the
following items will be accepted: expired or unwanted prescription medications,
over-the-counter medications such as cough syrup and pain relievers, vitamins,
nutritional supplements, and medications from a veterinarian.
What will not be
accepted are mercury thermometers, medical waste, and any hypodermic needles or
other medical items known as “sharps.”
The program is
available to customers and residents of Connecticut Water’s 54 service towns as
well as those towns where the company’s watersheds and water supplies are
located. A drive-through drop-off will be organized the day of the event so
parents with children in their vehicles can safely enter and exit the facility.