April 23, 2009 at 7:07 a.m.
County's medicines disposal effort getting national attention
County's medicines disposal effort getting national attention
Corporal Schreck, who oversees the county's medicine disposal program, said he was deeply moved when people at the event spoke about suffering the aftermath of vehicle crashes that their drugged kids were involved in, or worse, the death of a child due to overdose.
He said he is humbled to be part of an effort keeping waste and expired medications away from youth, and which also disposes of the substances in an environmentally-acceptable manner.
The county sheriff's staff, zoning and environmental services personnel have created what is regarded as the only public, free, waste pharmaceutical disposal program in the nation.
Schreck participated a few weeks ago in a "witnessed destruction" event, where approximately one year's worth of collection was incinerated. The disposal took place at a highly secure facility in southern Illinois; Veolia Environmental Services. He says, that with the incineration, "the loop was closed." Corpl. Schreck estimates $300,000 in street value drugs were incinerated and several hundred pounds of antihistamines, stimulants, narcotics and other chemicals were kept out of Minnesota lakes and streams.
How it works
A disposal chute is cut into a brick wall of the sheriff's department in the lower level of the county government center.
As the secure drop-off container fills -- sheriff's personnel will inventory the substances and package them for safe-keeping. When the county has collected enough to make a disposal trip feasible, the items are incinerated.
Disposal is totally anonymous. Container labels should be left on, but personal indentifying information can be blacked-out or torn off any packaging. There's bubble wrap available for breakable containers.
The disposal chute is open during work hours whenever the government center is open. A second disposal location is being made ready in North Branch City Hall. Watch for the announcement when this North Branch Police and Sheriff's program is operational.
Schreck expects collection amounts to double when the northern drop-off opens.
He said at first he had no idea what to expect. Soon, he could tell when an estate was being cleaned out when loads of very outdated containers were left in the chute. He said leftover veterinary medicines and prescriptions are showing up. He is gratified when highly addictive or dangerous products end up in the disposal chute. These people are doing the right thing; taking these products out of the hands of potential burglars and curious kids who pilfer one or two pills at a time.
As someone who has helped build this program from the ground up, Schreck has been in-demand. He's advising the city of Northfield, Hennepin, Ramsey and Sherburne counties in getting their own waste medicine disposal programs started. He's communicating with non-profit groups interested in learning more. Schreck is certain the "...framework we have built" will go nationwide.
The next thing he hopes to see happen is for state pollution control regulators to revise rules and allow for these substances to be incinerated in Minnesota.
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