MWRD Adds 4th Collection Site to National Drug Take-Back Day

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.

Benito Juarez Wreath Laying

Recently, I was honored to join Governor Pat Quinn and State of Mexico Governor Eruviel Avila at an event honoring the important Mexican leader, Benito Juarez. Governor Avila laid a wreath at the Benito Juarez statue located at 420 S. Michigan. The statue was donated by the President of Mexico in 1977. The Governor's office noted that for 150 years, Mexico and Illinois have shared a special friendship. Juarez sent an emissary, Matias Romero, to Springfield to extend greetings to then President-elect Abraham Lincoln, making Mexico the first foreign nation to officially congratulate Lincoln. Juarez and Lincoln have often been compared -- both come from humble origins, were self-taught and have a passion for human rights.