The Green Parent

Do you remember that post a few weeks ago about the alarming levels of prescription medications in our water supply? Did it leave you wondering how you should dispose of your medications so that they don’t wind up polluting the planet? It did for a couple of motivated high school teachers and students. And the good news is they’ve decided to do something about it.

Pontiac High School’s Paul Ritter and Eric Bohm from Pontiac Township High School initiated a collaborative effort that brings together students, pharmacies, and local officials to research a safer way to dispose of prescription medications. Their project, P2D2, aims to educate folks about the dangers of improper medication disposal and the alternative that’s better for both people and the planet.

Instead of tossing or flushing their drugs, people in the town of Pontiac, Ill. can now bring their unused medications back to the pharmacy for safe disposal. The drugs are incinerated at an energy-producing plant, so they won’t find their way into our soil or our water supply. Contact Ritter and Bohm if you’d like to start a similar program in your area.