Expired/unwanted medications properly disposed of to keep from entering community’s aquifer
(Photo courtesy of the Plainview Water District)
The Plainview Water District (PWD) successfully hosted its fifth annual Pharmaceutical Take Back Day and collected more than 300 pounds of unwanted or expired medications. These medications will now be disposed of properly in order to prevent them from making it into the community’s sole-source aquifer for drinking water.
This district has now collected and properly disposed of more than 1,400 pounds of medications since it began this annual event five years ago.
“We are pleased to offer this opportunity to POB residents for the past five years,” PWD Chairman Marc Laykind said. “The turn out that we see each year shows that there is a need for a service like this in our community. The District is proud and looks forward to continuing to serve and work with residents to come together and protect our shared environment and water supply.”
When someone improperly disposes of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away in the garbage, there is a likelihood that the medications’ contents will ultimately make their way into the community water ways and water supply. If there is an elevated presence of toxins from pharmaceuticals in the groundwater, the district will have no choice but to invest in expensive treatment systems so the contaminants can be removed before they reach customers’ homes.
“Each year, the Plainview-Old Bethpage community continues to join us in participating in our annual Pharmaceutical Takeback Day to help us protect our water source,” PWD Commissioner Andrew Bader said. “The district is grateful for the continued community-wide involvement and support, as this event would not be successful without it. We thank all of those who participated this year, for helping us protect our environment and water ways with the proper disposal of these medications.”
This year’s Pharmaceutical Take Back Day was once again held in partnership with the Nassau County Police Department. This anonymous, contactless drive-thru event included social distancing and safety protocols which helped the District bolster participation. The event was held at the PWD headquarters at 10 Manetto Hill Rd, on Saturday, Oct. 22.
“Protecting our shared environment from these potentially harmful substances requires a collective community effort,” PWD Commissioner Amanda Field said. “For the past five years, the POB community has continued to show up to participate in the proper disposal of these substances. We continue to surpass the previous year’s collection totals and are thrilled to continue to offer this event annually. Thank you to all that came out to participate.”
For additional information about the Plainview Water District, visit www.plainviewwater.org or call 516-931-6469. Residents can also sign up to receive information by submitting their email address through the district’s homepage or following them on Facebook in order to stay up-to-date with district activities and initiatives.
—Submitted by the Plainview Water District
