[미국] National Prescription Drug Take-Back날, 환경과 수자원 보호 지원

 

시카고의 수도권 물 정화 구역과 Stickney 물 정화 플랜트의 직원들은 마약 단속국의 약물 회수의 날 동안 기간이 만료되거나 필요 없어진 약을 161파운드 수거했다.

이 프로그램은 국민들에게 처방약 처리로 인해 안전성을 제공하고 프로그램 기간동안 잠재적인 약의 남용에 대해 교육하고 사람들에게 수자원 정화와 환경보호 공중보건 보호를 도울 수 있는 기회를 제공한다.

staff at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago's (MWRD) Calumet, Egan, O'Brien, and Stickney Water Reclamation Plants collected 161 pounds of unwanted or expired medications from the public during the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) national Take-Back day.

The program provided the public a safe means of disposing prescription drugs, while also educating them about the potential for abuse of medications, as well as gave 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 medications. Wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove minute concentrations of pharmaceuticals and as a result, the chemicals could wind up in streams and waterways and potentially have a negative impact on water quality.

As such, this program strives to highlight the importance of reducing the amount of pharmaceuticals disposed of before they have a chance to reach treatment facilities and/or the waterways.

 

[출처 = Water World / 2014년 4월 30일]