August 18, 2009

Carle RxExpress and Carle Foundation Hospital help ease patients' medical waste concerns through free, public disposal program

Urbana, Ill. - To help address the threat unwanted medications and needles pose to the environment and the community, Carle RxExpress and Carle Foundation Hospital are offering the new Carle RxExpress Medication and Needle Disposal Program beginning Monday, Aug. 31.

James C. Leonard, MD, President and CEO of Carle Foundation Hospital, took note of a local newspaper article last year about the challenges of medical waste. He and the administration reviewed the collective resources and decided that implementing a free, year-round program would provide a sustainable, ongoing solution. Carle RxExpress' successful annual Medication Drop-Off Week, which has been held the last two years, served as a model for the new ongoing program.

"Carle Foundation Hospital has safely and responsibly disposed of its medical waste for years," said Dr. Leonard. "This program extends our environmental stewardship into the communities we serve, allowing residents to discard their medical waste in a way that's safer for their households, neighbors and the environment."

The goals of the Carle RxExpress Medication and Needle Disposal Program, part of the Hospital's Healthy People. Happy Planet.sm environmental initiative, are to decrease the accidental consumption of potentially dangerous medications, reduce pollution of local water sources and prevent transmission of blood-borne diseases through improperly discarded needles.

To kick off and call attention to the new program, Carle Foundation Hospital is sponsoring a booth at the farmer's Market at the Square in Urbana on Saturday, Aug. 29. At the event, residents can learn about program and for those who need them, free needle disposal boxes will be available. Additional free gifts will be offered at the booth while supplies last.

Needle Disposal

Improperly discarded needles pose a threat to family members, sanitation workers and the environment. When used needles are thrown into household trash, the needles carry the risk of accidentally injuring someone or transmitting blood-borne illnesses such as hepatitis or HIV.

Beginning Aug. 31, Carle RxExpress is providing free needle disposal boxes at all 10 locations throughout east central Illinois. The boxes allow consumers to safely store used needles until they're ready for disposal. Once the box is full, it can be exchanged for a new one, free of charge, during regular business hours.

Carle RxExpress then disposes of the needles according to local, state and federal regulations. While consumers can use this program regardless of whether they use Carle RxExpress to fill their prescriptions, only approved Carle RxExpress needle boxes will be accepted.

Also as part of this program, Carle Foundation Hospital has installed individual needle drop boxes in 15 public restrooms for those who must use medical needles while visiting the hospital.

Medication Disposal

Unwanted medications, many of which are thrown in the trash, can end up in the wrong hands, especially with children who run the risk of ingesting those medications. Further, pharmaceuticals are generally not removed by water treatment facilities, so flushing medications down the toilet allows trace amounts of medicines to enter our watersheds.

Illinois American Water is partnering with Carle RxExpress to help reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals in public water sources. Barry Suits, operations manager for Illinois American Water's Champaign District, said, "Illinois American Water is committed to protecting the environment and water resources to maintain high-quality water supply for future generations. Partnerships like this one with Carle RxExpress to establish two pharmaceutical disposal sites in Champaign-Urbana are an important part of our environmental stewardship efforts."

Residents can drop off prescription and over-the-counter, non-narcotic medications, liquids or inhalers to the Carle RxExpress locations on Fairchild Street in Danville, at Old Farm Shops in Champaign or in Carle Foundation Hospital's lobby in Urbana. They are asked to mark out or remove all personal information from the prescription containers before placing them in the drop box. The medication drop boxes are designed like public mailboxes. They are affixed to the floor or wall, prevent individuals from reaching into the boxes and are emptied regularly.

"We collected more than 800 pounds of medications, inhalers and thermometers during this year's Medication Drop-Off Week alone," said Greg Puszkiewicz, Director of Carle RxExpress. "With a year-round community program, Carle RxExpress can expand its positive impact on our planet and our lives."

For more information about the Carle RxExpress Medication and Needle Disposal Program, visit www.carle.org/environment.

Carle Foundation Hospital's Healthy People. Happy Planet. is a new initiative that provides home- and healthcare-related solutions to help protect the environment.