지난 9월 27일 시카고 도심수자원교정구역(MWRD)이 미국 마약단속국의 금지약물 ‘회수(Take-Back)’ 계획에 가입했다. 이는 강이나 하천, 호수에 예상치 못한 불순물이 유입되는 것을 막기 위한 의미에서 시작돼 세 지역 시설에서 의약품을 모으기 위한 것으로, O'Brien, Calumetm, Stickney 용수교정 플랜트가 여기에 해당된다. 

이 프로그램은 시민들에게 처방약의 안전한 의미를 제공하고, 잠재적인 약의 부작용에 대해 교육한다. 뿐만 아니라 나라의 물 자원을 깨끗하게 유지하고, 공공의 건강을 지키며, 환경을 보전하는 데 동참할 기회를 제공한다.

 

 

MWRD to participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
    
On Saturday, Sept. 27, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) is joining the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's (U.S. DEA's) national unwanted medicine "Take-Back" initiative to collect pharmaceuticals at three local facilities -- O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant, Calumet Water Reclamation Plant and Stickney Water Reclamation Plant -- as a means to prevent or reduce accidental contamination of streams, rivers and lakes.

 

 The program provides the public a safe means of disposing prescription drugs, while also educating them about the potential for abuse of medications, as well as gives them an opportunity to help keep the nation's water resources clean, preserve the environment and protect public health. The DEA launched its first take-back event in September 2010 to offer a more environmentally-responsible and secure way to dispose of medication. 

 

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 or streams, so this special collection gives the community an environmentally-friendly opportunity to properly dispose of expired or unwanted medications.

 

MWRD has participated in all of the U.S. DEA's nationally-organized prescription drug take-back day programs and has removed hundreds of pounds of medicines from the waste stream throughout the last several years. Saturday's event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 

[출처 = Water World / 2014년 9월 22일]