City Approves Drug Take Back Program

The city wants to set up two drop off points where residents can leave their unused medications instead of flushing them down the toilet, as now often happens.

The bins would be located at City Hall and , with the goal of reducing the amount of pharmaceuticals that enter Petaluma’s wastewater. Even though Petaluma’s wastewater is treated, the process does not remove all traces of chemicals in water, including hormone disruptors, heavy metals and other ingredients dangerous for human health.

That water is then used to irrigate city parks, crops and drunk by farm animals, introducing potentially dangerous chemicals into the environment and the food supply.

In a 4-3 vote for the program, the City Council agreed that the program was the first step to reducing the amount of chemicals in local water sources. The program would set up two secure bins and would cost $4,000 a year, largely by operating in conjunction with the Sonoma County Water Agency, which already has a similar program.

The unwanted drugs would be collected by a Healdsburg company and incinerated.

“The gist of this program is that it would reduce pharmaceuticals from the waste stream,” said Remleh Sherzinger, interim director for the Department of Water Resources and Conservation. “Just last week, more than 1,000 pounds of pharmaceuticals were collected locally. There is demand for this program.”

But Councilwoman Tiffany Renee, one of the dissenting votes, said she didn’t see the purpose of paying for the program if there was no way of measuring how effective it was in reducing pharmaceuticals from wastewater.

“The city is not currently testing water for pharmaceuticals that is delivered to residents,” Renee said. “We don’t have any metrics, so we’ll just be paying for this program.”

Testing for pharmaceuticals in wastewater would cost thousands of dollars, money the city can’t afford to spend, some have argued. However, there are methods for more extensive cleaning of wastewater, including reverse osmosis which separates contaminants from water by a pressure or vacuum-driven process. Another is through something called “activated sludge” that removes waste that is deemed contaminated and keeps that considered safe.

Councilwoman Teresa Barrett, who also opposed the take-back program said that pharmacies that dispense the drugs should be held responsible for collecting unused pharmaceuticals, much in the same way that electronics manufacturers now take back old computers, batteries and other technology that can’t be put in landfills.

“The pharmacies are the ones who produce it, so they should take it back,” Barrett said, adding that drop off spots should be more accessible and not only open during work hours.

According to an Associated Press investigation, some 46 million Americans drink water contaminated with trace amounts of pharmaceuticals, which get into water stream after they pass through people's bodies and end up in wastewater.

Are you concerned about pharmaceuticals in water that is used to spray crops and given to livestock? How do you currently dispose of your meds?