It’s become common practice to advise patients to flush any unused prescriptions down the toilet, so those pharmaceuticals aren’t used improperly in the future. Flushing has kept these medicines from being abused, but there is increasing evidence that this practice is polluting our water sources with prescription-level chemicals including painkillers, anti-depressants and hormone treatments. In this presentation an expert panel will discuss issues of proper pharmaceutical disposal, including details of on-going, successful collection programs.
Scott Collier - USDOJ DEA, Diversion Program Manager, St. Louis Field Division Scott Collier is a 25 year veteran of DEA. He currently is in charge of pharmaceutical and synthetic drug investigations for the St. Louis Division, which encompasses South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Southern Illinois.
Laura Kammin - Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Pollution Prevention Program Specialist
Paul Ritter -2011-2012 National Environmental Science Teacher of the Year Director / President Elect / Ecology Teacher/The National Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal Program/ Illinois Science Teachers Association/ Pontiac Twp. High School
Kathy Rodgers - Illinois Rural Water, Source Water Specialist Kathy Rodgers coordinates activities and facilitates the process of source water protection planning and implementation within Illinois. Prior to joining IRWA Kathy was a contributing member of the mercury emission abatement Research and Development team and manager of a certified laboratory.
Educational Outcomes
* Knowledge of pharmacutical disposal preactices and their impact on drinking water.
* Understanding of prescription medication abuse.
* Understanding of proper DEA drug disposal process
* Konwledge of successful drug collection programs and knowledge of resources to implment successful drug disposal campaigns
Educational Outcomes
* Knowledge of pharmacutical disposal preactices and their impact on drinking water.
* Understanding of prescription medication abuse.
* Understanding of proper DEA drug disposal process
* Konwledge of successful drug collection programs and knowledge of resources to implment successful drug disposal campaigns
This presentation will showcase the work which has been done in a small rural community in Minnesota where the community is addressing elevated nitrates and is working with area farmers to implement the Nutrient Management Initiative and BMP Challenge Programs. Various products and application rates were applied to fields located within the Drinking Water Supply Management Area and groundwater quality and harvest results were closely monitored.
Aaron Meyer - Sourcewater Protection Specialist with the Minnesota Rural Water Association. Mr. Meyer has a Master’s degree from North Dakota State University in Natural Resource Management and has worked for many years with the agricultural community across Minnesota.
Educational Outcomes
* Knowledge of Nitrates and their impact on drinking water
* Understanding of case studies where different ag techniques impact nitrates
* Understanding of techniques to measure N rates.
* Understanding of study results and how they can be applied to source water protection