April 26th from 10am to 2pm is National Drug Take-Back Day. The purpose of the day is to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs. The MWRD's wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove pharmaceutical products if they are poured down a drain or flushed down a toilet. The chemicals can work their way into lakes and streams. The impact of those chemicals on the waterways and aquatic life is a concern this agency continues to grapple with. At this point there are no easy solutions, but I'm committed to seeking out innovative, cost-effective ways to treat those chemicals in our treatment process. In the meantime, one easy, convenient way to combat unwanted drugs in our water is to encourage proper disposal of unwanted medicines. That's why every year to prevent and reduce accidental contamination of streams, rivers, and lakes, the MWRD joins the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's national prescription drug "Take-Back" initiative. The MWRD will have four collection sites this year:
- Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, 6001 W. Pershing Road, Cicero
- North Side Water Reclamation Plant, 3500 Howard Street, Skokie
- Calumet Water Reclamation Plant, 400 East 130th, Chicago
- Egan Water Reclamation Plant, 550 S. Meacham Rd, Schaumburg IL
Additional information about the collection can be found
here and
here.
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