learn about hidden chemicals in your...

It’s what you can’t see...Learn about hidden chemicals in your water

TOXINSChemicals in

pharmaceuticalsand personal careproducts (PPCPs)

PROBLEMSInadequate laws,outdated wastetreatment andhealth risks

SOLUTIONSEducation,

partnerships,research, and best

practices

Erie Times-NIE/Great Lakes Sea Grant Network

2T | Erie Times-News | GoErie.com | NIE | Tuesday, September 27, 2011

EriE timEs-niE/grEat lakEs sEa grant nEtwork: HiddEn CHEmiCals in your watEr

ANNA McCARTNEY/Contributed photo

Won’t you take time to learn how you can keep chemicals in your pharmaceuticals and personal care products from getting into the Great Lakes, the source of drinkingwater for 42 million people in the U.S. and Canada?

We have a finite supplyof water.

Yet almost 7 billionpeople are polluting ourstreams, lakes and oceans at anever-increasing rate with man-made chemicals found ineveryday products, includingpharmaceuticals and personalcare products (PPCPs). Thereare no laws to keep thesechemicals out of theenvironment, and inadequatelaws don’t keep them out ofproducts we use daily.

Since the fall of 2010, SeaGrant programs in Indiana,Illinois, New York, Ohio andPennsylvania have beenteaching people of all agesabout problems caused bychemicals in PPCPs, and

involving them in findingsolutions.

Funding from the GreatLakes Restoration Initiative ofthe U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency has allowedthese Great Lakes Sea GrantNetwork members to takeaction to keep PPCPs out of theGreat Lakes.

This education campaignbegan with the publication“Dose of Reality” inSeptember 2010. This 12-pagenewspaper insert, prepared incooperation with the ErieTimes-News Newspaper inEducation program, told thestory of these contaminants,the importance of Great Lakesfreshwater, the severe risks oftaking freshwater for granted;and what some concernedpeople have done to addressthe problems. But mostimportantly, it shared ideasthat every citizen can

implement to tackle theseserious issues.

To meet their goals ofeducating people and keepingpills out of the environmentthrough collection events andoutreach, the Sea GrantPartners also relied oncommunity partners andstudent service-learningprojects for help.

“Our goal is to educatemembers of the legislature,professionals who produce,prescribe and dispensepharmaceuticals and thepublic that uses them,” saidMarti Martz, coastal outreachspecialist for Pennsylvania SeaGrant and lead investigator forthis project. “This issueresonates with most people we

contact and they are happy tobring it up with their peers,from fourth-graders to seniors.Word of mouth transmissionhelps spread our messagearound the Great Lakes basin.”

This special NIE supplementshares additional informationand stories about people andorganizations that are makinga difference to improve thehealth of the Great Lakes byreducing the amount ofpersistent toxic substancesthat enter them. “More mindfulPPCP consumption and wasteminimization must be part ofthe solution,” said Martz. “Wedon’t realize our personalcontribution to this problemuntil someone makes us awareof it.”

Unless indicated otherwise, articles are written by Anna McCartney, a communications and education specialist for Pennsylvania Sea Grant. She can be reached at [email protected]

About the cover: Gina Longstreet, a recent graduate of Central Career and Technical School in Erie, Pa., designed the “Dose of Reality” cover. Her billboard design, which wonthe school billboard competition sponsored by Pennsylvania Sea Grant and Earth Action, was also chosen for the cover of this publication. Longstreet was a student in Joe Krol’sIndustrial Arts program for four years while she was a student at Central. She is currently enrolled at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

We need to keep drugs, chemicals out of our water

Tuesday, September 27, 2011 | NIE | GoErie.com | Erie Times-News | 3T


Drugs taken by people, pets and farm animals, as well as discarded leftover medications, get into water sources when they are flushed, go down the drain or are carried bystormwater from farms and streets, and from landfill leachate.

Chemicals in hygiene and beauty products enter wastewater when you bathe or wash your hands. Insufficient regulation to keep manufactured chemicals out of the water allowsthem to build up in the environment.

Private septic systems andmunicipal wastetreatment plants were

not designed to detect orremove PPCPs. Studies showthese compounds persist in theenvironment; pass throughwater, soil and air; andbioaccumulate in the foodchain.

Pharmaceutical residueshave been detected in drinkingwater in very small amounts.The American Water WorksAssociation (AWWA) explainsthat “PPCPs are a group ofcompounds consisting ofhuman and veterinary drugs(prescription or over-the-counter) and consumerproducts, such as fragrance,lotions, sunscreens, housecleaning products, and others.”

A large percentage of PPCPs

in the environment seems tocome from unmetabolizedpharmaceuticals in humanwaste and from other productsthat are flushed or placed in the

trash. According to the U.S.Environmental ProtectionAgency, “PPCPs are foundwhere people or animals aretreated with drugs and

everywhere people usepersonal care products. PPCPsare found in any water bodyinfluenced by raw or treatedsewage, including rivers,

streams, groundwater, coastalmarine environments, andmany drinking water sources.PPCPs have been identified inmost places sampled.”

How do PPCP chemicals get into our water?

Are your PPCP buying habits influenced by ads? While articlesare intended to inform you using facts, advertisements aredesigned to influence you to buy something even if it meansdistorting the truth. Collect PPCP ads and list them according totheir appeal. Do any of them imply: “Everybody else is doing it,”or “users of this product are just like you”? Do the ads usetechniques like card stacking — distorting or omitting facts,testimonials or endorsements by famous people, or transference— association of a respected person such as a doctor with aproduct or idea? Design an ad to inform and influence people toonly buy and use PPCPs that don’t harm you or theenvironment. Use your ad in a campaign to educate others inyour school or organization about the information you learn fromreading this publication.

nEwspapEr aCtivity



Aquatic organisms, unborn babies, and young children are most vulnerable to reproductive and developmental harm due to ingredients found in pharmaceuticals and personal careproducts (PPCPs). Many of these bioactive chemicals act as endocrine disrupters. Triclosan, a pesticide in antibacterial soaps; manufactured fragrances found in many products;and chemicals used in pharmaceuticals can affect fetal growth and development because they interfere with natural hormones.

Observed feminization of aquatic animals has raised concerns about estrogenic compounds in water supplies. Antibiotic resistance is another problem.

Man-made chemicalsfound in PPCPs cancause endocrine

disruption because theyinterfere with naturalhormones; one such chemicalis triclosan, a pesticide foundin antibacterial soaps.

While such chemicals canlower sperm count and harmimmune systems in humans,neither the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration nor the EPAhas done much to control them.

Many of these chemicalsmimic, disrupt or block theactions of natural hormonessuch as insulin, thyroxine,estrogen and testosterone.Considering the fact theendocrine system regulatesevery vital function and thehormones provide instructionsfor cells, this can have

disastrous consequences.Hormones control all growth,

sexual development andbehavior, the production andutilization of insulin,metabolism, intelligence andbehavior and the ability toreproduce.

While studies show thattriclosan is no more effective atpreventing illness or removinggerms than regular soap andwater, antibacterial soaps arethe most commonly used soaps

in homes, schools and otherinstitutions.

Anyone who reads amagazine or watches TV mightbelieve antibacterial soaps aremore effective becauseadvertising says that “they kill“99.9 percent of germs.”

With names like “TangeloOrange Twist” and “SugarLemon Fizz,” they are evenmarketed to teenagers by usingthe slogan “spread love, notgerms.”

Synthetic chemicals block natural hormones

Choose three articles in this publication and predict the contentof the articles based on the headline and what you may alreadyknow about the topic. After reading the stories, re-write theheadlines. Share them with others and ask which headlinesthey like best — yours or the ones used by the writers.

nEwspapEr aCtivity



Steve Mauro, a MercyhurstCollege microbiologist, isconcerned about the

effect of chemicals found inpharmaceuticals and personalcare products on the ecosystemsince even low levels damagethe reproductive systems ofmollusks and can also affectfish brains.

Chemicals used in PPCPshave been found in surfacewater, sewage effluent, sewagesludge, groundwater, drinkingwater, and plants grown in soiltreated with biosolids andirrigated with contaminatedwater.

Low doses of fluoxetine andother chemicals were found byMauro and his team in waternear Presque Isle State Park’sLake Erie beaches. NationalGeographic featured Mauro’swork in the June 2011 edition.

His initial work to studyPPCPs was funded byPennsylvania Sea Grant, whichis one of 32 programsnationwide that supportsapplied research on issuescritical to coastal resources andmanagement.

Mauro has since receivedEPA funding to continue hiswork. According to hisresearch, fluoxetine, the activeingredient in Prozac, is killingboth good and bad bacteria inthe lake. This and otherchemicals were consistentlyfound in areas that are sewage-free, indicating that thesechemicals spread throughoutthe lake. Other chemicals hefound every time samples weretaken include triclosan and

estradiol, both consideredendocrine disrupters.

Though many experts say thelevels are too low to show

immediate effects on humanhealth, scientists acknowledge

they know little about the long-term effects of these chemicalsonpeople.Therearemanyotherunanswered questions abouthow PPCPs degrade or interactwith other chemicals in thewater or chemicals that are usedin the water treatment process.

While the concentrationsmay be low, concerns arisebecause many of these PPCPsare designed to work in thebody at low concentrations.Furthermore, some of the GreatLakes take up to 191 years toflush out pollutants, so thesechemicals will remain there forgenerations.

Funding from Illinois/Indiana Sea Grant allowedresearchers Patrick Ferguson,Melody Bernot and ThomasLauer from the Department ofBiology at Ball State Universityin Muncie, Ind., to look forPPCPs in southern LakeMichigan. They, too, foundmeasurable concentrations ofpharmaceuticals every timethey sampled, suggestingubiquitous dispersal in LakeMichigan.

These and other researchprojects are continuing toquantify PPCPs and theireffects in the field. Labexperiments are also beingconducted by the U.S.Geological Survey and others tolearn more about the influenceof PPCPs found in theenvironment on fishdevelopment, growth andbehavior.

To read more about PPCP-related research, go to www.unwantedmeds.org.

Scientists seek more answers about PPCP dangers

TOM LAUER/Contributed photo

Measurable concentrations of pharmaceuticals were found in southern Lake Michigan.Chicago and the Chicago River are just inside the lock to Lake Michigan.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Fluoxetine and other PPCP chemicals were found in water near Presque Isle State Park’sLake Erie beaches.

TOM LAUER/Contributed photo

Patrick Ferguson, a graduate research assistant at Ball State University, conducts water tests to detectPPCPs in southern Lake Michigan.


There are no federalregulations fordiscarding household

pharmaceutical waste.While the 1976 Resource

Conservation and Recovery Actregulates the management anddisposal of hazardouspharmaceutical wastes formanufacturers and the health-care industry, it exempts thissame waste discarded from thehomes of millions. Instead,individual states maydetermine how it is disposed.This does nothing to addressthe facts that most states lackregulations for this waste orthat affected water does notrecognize state boundaries.

The EPA has urged thepublic to participate inpharmaceutical “take-back”programs where they exist.However, these events aresporadic and available in toofew communities. So whatshould people do with all thoseunused prescription and over-the-counter meds?

Many are advocating thatmanufacturers of these drugs be

responsible for establishing adrug collection program similarto producer-responsibilityprograms for computers andother products that includehazardous waste. Such aprogram would immediatelyend the dangerous practices offlushing drugs down the drain ortoilet or throwing drugs into thegarbage.

Currently, federal agenciesrecommend that unusedmedications be mixed with catlitter or coffee grounds, sealedin a container and thrown in thetrash. The exception is a list of

narcotics, such as OxyContinand Percocet, which the U.S.Food and Drug Administrationsays should be flushed down thetoilet to make sure they are notabused. But many find thisadvice too complicated andconfusing, and putting the drugsinto landfills is still risky to theenvironment and to solid wasteworkers.

However, becausemanufacturers are currentlynot inclined to takeresponsibility for a bettersolution due to associated costs,any consistent drug take-back

programs will likely requirestate and federal laws.

The Sea Grant partners haveexpanded their efforts to makeit easier for consumers to get ridof unused meds by working withlegislators, schools of pharmacyand veterinary medicine,hospitals, health departmentsand the Product StewardshipInstitute, (PSI) a nationalnonprofit membership-basedorganization.

PSI works with state andlocal government agencies topartner with manufacturers,retailers, environmental

groups, federal agencies, andother key stakeholders toreduce the health andenvironmental impacts ofconsumer products. Theirunique product-stewardshipapproach attempts to solvewaste management problemsby encouraging product designchanges and mediatingstakeholder dialogues.

Sea Grant is working withthese groups to develop modeltake-back programs forpermanent solutions for thedisposal problems.

One possible solution wouldallow designated pharmacies totake back expired or unusedmedications and properlydispose of them throughlicensed and regulatedfacilities. Another is the use ofmail-back envelopes like thoseused by the University of MaineCenter on Aging.

However, the best solutionwill involve a collaborativeeffort by drug manufacturers,water utilities, private andpublic research facilities andstate and federal agencies.

Sea Grant develops model take-back programs

Newspapers are an excellent source for learning about yourfederal, state and local representatives. The letters to the editorare an exceptional way to make your representatives and othersin your community aware of important issues. Write a letter tothe editor of your local newspaper sharing key points aboutproblems caused by the use and disposal of PPCPs. Use theopportunity to ask what your representatives are doing to solvethese problems. Encourage others in your community to getinvolved to expedite solutions for disposing unused meds byoffering specific steps they can take to make a difference.

Newspaper activity


The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy has agreed to educate students at the school and involve them in solutions to disposal problems by organizingand supervising their efforts to gather and analyze data as they interact with the public at collection events.

erie times-Nie/great lakes sea graNt Network: HiddeN cHemicals iN your water

1,289,958Pills collected

since Oct. 1, 2010

650,510People reached

since Oct. 1, 2010

SOURCE: Pennsylvania Sea Grant

By tHe NumBers



Partnerships,collaborations, researchand best practices have

played important roles in thesuccess of the Sea Grant “Undothe Chemical Brew” projectsince it began in 2010.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant hasbeen working closely withElliott Cook, assistant professorat the School of Pharmacy atthe Lake Erie College ofOsteopathic Medicine, toeducate pharmacy students andinvolve them in solutions toproblems related to PPCP useand disposal.

Cook and many of thestudents at the school havevolunteered their time torecord the unused drugscollected at drug take-backprograms in the Erie region.Starting with the 2011 fallsemester, PPCP issues will beincluded in the pharmacycurriculum. Students will alsoeducate consumers about theproblems when they do theirrotation at some of the localpharmacies.

“This is a great way forstudents to actively learn moreabout medications, patient

adherence, patient safety, theenvironment, drug policy, anddrug abuse. All these aspectsare vital to the education of afuture pharmacist,” said Cook.“Also, the students gainexperience working side byside with a local nonprofit, PASea Grant, by gathering andanalyzing data whileinteracting directly with thepublic in their field of study. Allin all, it is a great experiencenot only for students and facultyof LECOM, but also the public.”

The data collected by Cookand his students is importantfor determining which drugsare unused and why. Thisinformation can be shared withdrug manufacturers andmedical professionals so theycan help eliminate unuseddrugs at the design andprescription stages.

A partnership between theGreat Lakes Sea Grant Networkand the University of MaineCenter on Aging will give somecitizens in selected Great Lakesstates a new way to discardunused medications. Specialleakproof postage-paid mailingenvelopes can be filled at home

with unwanted prescription andover-the-counter drugs and willbe mailed to Maine; the drugswill then be incinerated in thepresence of drug enforcementagents. The GLRI grantprovided the funding for thesemailers. Participants are askedto complete a survey to helpresearchers gather data aboutwhy the drugs were not used.

The Maine mail-backdisposal program is one of thefirst in the nation to deal withthe huge amount of unusedmedications. Also the first stateto require manufacturerpayment for disposal of oldtelevisions and computermonitors, Maine is currentlyworking on a statewidepharmaceutical disposalsystem that would be paid forby the drug companies. Mail-incollection systems paid for bydrug makers are common inEurope and British Columbia.

Illinois -Indiana Sea Grant(IISG) Pollution PreventionSpecialist Laura Kammin hasbeen successful in addressinganother important audience —veterinary professionals andpet owners.

“It doesn’t matter whetherthe medicine is intended forpeople or pets. We are alwayslooking for new partners to helpus educate people on thisissue,” said Kammin.“Educating pet owners aboutPPCP proper storage anddisposal can reduce thenumber of pets that arepoisoned and also keep unusedpet meds out of the water.”

While at the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association(AVMA) Convention in St. Louis,Kammin and IISG staff spokewith vet med students andveterinary professionals from31 states, Canada, Egypt andBrazil about educating theirclients on proper storage anddisposal of medicines.

Convention attendees wereexcited about Sea Grant factsheets and service-learningcurriculum to involve theirstudents and clients. AttendeeTrenton Boyd, head librarian atthe University of Missouri ZalkVeterinary Medical Library, ishelping IISG reach hundreds ofprofessionals in universityveterinary schools by postingtheir resources on the

International VeterinaryLibrarians Discussion Grouplist serve. IISG will also beginwork with the AVMA on otheropportunities to partner withveterinary professionals toeducate their clients.

Ohio Sea Grant has beeneducating boaters, anglers andother water enthusiasts throughits displays at fishingtournaments, Charter BoatAssociation meetings, at itsAquatic Visitors Center at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, and through theLorain County Metro ParksEnvironmental Series: “What’sIn Our Water?” To date theyhave talked with and dispensedliterature to almost 5,000individuals.

Sea Grant has also beenworking with local lawenforcement agencies andhealth departments to supporta disposal system that reducesthe high rate of prescriptiondrug abuse. By offering aconsistent, convenient way toget rid of unused medicines,pain pills and other drugs canbe kept out of the hands ofinterested teens and others whomight abuse them.

States pioneer ways to end ‘chemical brews’

Top: Elliott Cook, left,assistant professor at theLECOM School ofPharmacy, has partneredwith Pennsylvania SeaGrant to educate andinvolve pharmacystudents in communitysolutions for problemsrelated to unusedmedications.

ANNA McCARTNEY/Contributed photos

Top: Laura Kamin, left,Illinois-Indiana Sea Grantpollution preventionspecialist, sharesinformation about PPCPsat the American VeterinaryMedical AssociationConvention in St. Louis.Bottom: Poster created byOhio Sea Grant aboutproblems associated withPPCPs.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS




Is your wastewater polluting our water resources?

BEN HARTFORD/JS Wilson, grade 6; teacher is Dana James

Try this.Take an inventory of

the assortment ofpharmaceuticals and personalcare products you use daily.Include any prescription orover-the-counter medicines youtake. Don’t forget any soap,body wash, toothpaste,shampoo, lotion, deodorant,perfume, shaving cream,lipstick, mascara, eye shadow,hair gel, mousse, hair spray,anti-aging cream or otherproducts. Don’t be surprised ifyou hit 12-15. You’re not alone.

Marketing has convinced usthat we need these productsevery day.

Read the ingredients andsafety precautions for eachproduct.

Researchers are raisingalarms about the cumulativeeffects many of the compoundsfound in PPCPs are having onhuman health and theenvironment. Do you reallywant these chemicals to showup in your drinking water?

Which products can you livewithout? What can you do toimprove your health so youdon’t need to take medicationsfor the rest of your life?

Find the list of the worstchemicals used in personalcare products on page 9 and usethe listed resources to research

safe alternatives.When you use products

without unnecessary toxicchemicals, you send a clearmessage to manufacturers andretailers that you want safe,effective products that don’tharm you or the environment.Many cosmetics and personal

care companies are alreadymaking safer products. Keepyour family safe and healthywith these nontoxic soaps andother products. Don’t forget toask friends and family — andeven your child’s school or youroffice manager — to use saferproducts too!

Use the David SuzukiFoundation’s “Avoid the DirtyDozen” mobile shoppers’ guideto audit your bathroom andshop for products withoutharmful ingredients. This DirtyDozen mobile site can help youavoid toxic ingredients in yourpersonal care products. Access

it from any Web-enabledportable browsing device athttp://davidsuzuki.org/dirty12/.

Or you can search more than65,000 products online at www.ewg.org/skindeep/ to find outabout unsafe chemicals in yourproducts and safe substitutes.

Take inventory at home to flag ‘Dirty Dozen’


The use of PPCPs has steadily risen since World War II. There was an estimated increase from 2 billion to 3.9 billion annual prescriptionsbetween 1999 and 2009 in the United States alone. On average, women in the U.S. use 12 personal care products daily; men use 6. There areno laws that protect comsumers or the environment from synthetic chemicals used in these products. To learn more go to: http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/

Studies show that ingredients in pharmaceuticals andpersonal care products are entering out environment withnegative effects on fish and other aquatic life. Thesechemicals have been detected in drinking water, too. Manypeople now flush their unused meds and make the problemsworse. Prevention is the best solution since wastewatertreatment plants and septic systems are not designed toremove these synthetic chemicals.



Contrary to popular belief, theU.S. doesn’t regulate personalcare products for safety, long-

term health impacts orenvironmental damage. Many PCPcommon ingredients are harmful topeople and the environment. Yetconsumers buy these products atdrug stores, grocery stores, online orin salons, usually withoutquestioning the product’ssafety. Don’t trust the claims. Protectyourself, your family and theenvironment. Avoid the dirty dozenand use safer alternatives.

The Dirty Dozen

▀BHA and BHT: Preservatives usedmainly in moisturizers and makeup.Suspected endocrine disruptors maycause cancer (BHA) and are harmfulto fish and other wildlife.▀Coal tar dyes: P-phenylenediamine

and colors listed as “CI” followed by afive-digit number: Find them in hairdyes and other product colors. TheU.S. color name may be listed (e.g.“FD&C Blue No. 1” or “Blue 1”).Potential to cause cancer and may becontaminated with heavy metals toxicto the brain.▀DEA-related ingredients: Used in

creamy and foaming products, such asmoisturizers and shampoos. Relatedchemicals are MEA and TEA. Canreact to form nitrosamines, which maycause cancer. Harmful to fish andother wildlife.▀Dibutyl phthalate: Plasticizer used

in some nail care products. Suspectedendocrine disrupter and reproductivetoxicant. Harmful to fish and otherwildlife.▀Formaldehyde-releasing

preservatives: Look for DMDMhydantoin, diazolidinyl urea,imidazolidinyl urea, methenamineand quarternium-15. They slowlyrelease small amounts offormaldehyde, which causes cancer.▀Parabens: Preservatives suspected

as endocrine disrupters and may

interfere with male reproductivefunctions.▀Parfum (a.k.a. fragrance): Any

mixture of fragrance ingredients—even in some products marketed as“unscented.” Can trigger allergies andasthma. Some linked to cancer andneurotoxicity. Some harmful to fishand other wildlife.▀PEG compounds: Used in many

cosmetic cream bases. Can becontaminated with 1,4-dioxane, whichmay cause cancer. Related chemicalsinclude propylene glycol and otheringredients with the letters “eth” (e.g.,polyethylene glycol).▀Petrolatum: This petroleum

product used for shine in hairproducts and as a moisture barrier insome lip balms, lipsticks andmoisturizers can be contaminatedwith polycyclic aromatichydrocarbons, which may causecancer.▀Siloxanes: Look for ingredients

ending in “-siloxane” or “-methicone.”These chemicals used to soften,smooth and moisten are suspectedendocrine disrupters andreproductive toxicants(cyclotetrasiloxane). Harmful to fishand other wildlife.▀Sodium laureth sulfate: Used in

foaming cosmetics, shampoos,cleansers and bubble bath. Can becontaminated with 1,4-dioxane, whichmay cause cancer. Related chemicalsinclude sodium lauryl sulfate andother ingredients with the letters“eth” (e.g., sodium laureth sulfate).▀Triclosan and triclocarban:

Pesticides used as antibacterials incosmetics, toothpastes, soaps andantiperspirants are suspectedendocrine disrupters and maycontribute to antibiotic resistance inbacteria. Harmful to fish and otherwildlife.

For more about these ingredientsand for a copy of a parent’s buyingguide, visit ewg.org/childrenshealth.For more about human exposure, cdc.gov/nceh/hsb.

Avoid harmful ingredients

Word of mouth has been an excellent tool to educate more people about thedangers of PPCPs. With whom will you share this information? Get yourfriends, family and co-workers involved in preventing these problems.

sHarE wHat you lEarn

Top three photos: Students and teachers participating in Sea Grant programslearned to identify hazardous chemicals in personal care products and shared whatthey learned with others.

Bottom two photos: Students in Lisa Radock’s science classes at Fort LeBoeufMiddle School in Erie, Pa., shared the information at a local task force meetingsponsored by PA Sea Grant and State Representative John Hornaman at the TomRidge Environmental Center and via satellite with students around the world.




One problem an Erie, Pa.,student group chose totackle for their service-

learning project is the lack ofproper disposal for unusedprescription and over-the-counter meds.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant hasbeen working with Earth Action,an environmental educationorganization, to involve studentsin solutions to such problems.

Earth Action Junior PA LakeErie Watershed Association(JrPLEWA) members from ninejunior/senior high schools havebeen involved with this projectsince September 2010. Theirultimate goal is to influencelegislation and passage of aPennsylvania pharmaceuticalbill that provides for properdisposal of PPCPs andcommunity education to helpcitizens learn more about theissues.

In January, the group metwith Pennsylvania State Reps.Pat Harkins, D-1st Dist., andJohn Hornaman, D-3rd Dist., tolearn about any currentlegislation and the probabilityof introducing a newpharmaceutical take-backprogram bill in the 2011 session.Before making theirrecommendations to statelawmakers, they researchedtake-back programs in Canadaand other U.S. states anddocumented the impacts ofPPCPs on water quality andaquatic life and potentialhuman health problems.

Interviews and surveys thesestudents conducted in thecommunity to learn whatpeople were doing with theirunused meds indicate themajority of respondents flushthem or put them in thegarbage. Their interviews withpharmacists show that morethan half of them were advisingtheir customers to flush theirunused meds and that themajority were willing toparticipate in a state-mandatedtake-back program if onebecame available.

The students’ culminatingevent was a four-day trip toHarrisburg in June to meet withthe House Northwest PALegislative Caucus to giverecommendations that studentshope will be introduced this fallby Rep. Hornaman. They alsogave a brief presentation to theCitizen Advisory Council of thePennsylvania Department ofEnvironmental Protection andthe DEP EnvironmentalEducation Office.

“The JrPLEWA trip allowedme and my fellow lobbyists tosoak up the city’s history,potency, and culture,” saidMolly Giewont. “Meeting Sen.Jane Earll and some ofPennsylvania’s representativeslike John Hornaman, PatHarkins and Flo Fabrizio at theCapitol was a once-in-a-lifetimeopportunity I’ll never forget. Itruly feel that with their help,our pharmaceutical bill willbecome a law.”

Students advocatefor new state laws

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Earth Action JrPLEWA students went to Harrisburg and met with the Northwest PA Legislative Caucus,including representatives John Hornaman, Pat Harkins and Flo Fabrizio and other state officials, to educatethem about the importance of passing a pharmaceutical take-back program bill.

Anew generation of GreatLakes stakeholders fromthe University of Buffalo

turned a course requirementinto a call for action: “Don’t rushto flush!”

Thirty students enrolled inthe Great Lakes Ecology courseat the university tackled theproblems associated withPPCPs going down the drains ofhouseholds around the GreatLakes basin. Their creativityand genuine concern wereevident in the public awarenessprojects they designed toeducate others. One group evenmade pill-shaped cookies toprovide “food for thought” to

share their message.A group of engineering

students focused their effortson investigating theeffectiveness of wastewatertreatment procedures andshared that information withthe class. The knowledge thatthey weren’t designed toremove PPCPs made thestudents more resolved to keepthem out of the environment.

Some groups used Facebookand Twitter to reach thousandsof their friends and contacts tosurvey their behaviors andknowledge about use andproper disposal of PPCPs.

The survey results indicatedthat a majority, including manyof their friends, were not awareof the problems or proper

disposal. Other studentsdeveloped posters theydisplayed around theuniversity, targeting dorms andrestroom facilities on campus,to encourage students to thinkbefore they flush!

One student designed stickersfor bathroom mirrors in thedorms and student apartmentsthat asked: “What are YOUputting down the drain?” Thesestickers included informationfor reducing the amount ofpersonal care products usedand proper disposal ofunwanted/unused medicines.

H E L E N D O M S K E , a CoastalEducation Specialist for NewYork Sea Grant, can be reached bye-mail at [email protected].

College students employ newtools to say: ‘Don’t rush to flush’By HELEN DOMSKEContributing writer

ANNA McCARTNEY/Contributing photo

University of Buffalo students provided “food for thought” for theirclassmates to inform them about proper PPCP disposal.


In response to the growingnational concern aboutimproper disposal, Purdue

Extension and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program/University of Illinois Extensiondeveloped a 4-H guide to traineducators about the safedisposal of unwantedmedicines. This pilot projectwas distributed to ExtensionEducators in Indiana andPennsylvania.

The 4-H curriculum guidegives leaders the tools to helpyouth make important

contributions to sustain aquaticecosystems through engagingcommunity stewardshipprojects using these inquiry-based questions as a framework:

So, what’s the big deal?What are the issues?What should I be concerned

about?What are my options?How can I let others know about

these issues?

Each activity providesresources to complete thelesson; an overview of what willbe accomplished; suggesteddialogue for the 4-H leader or

teacher; ideas for evaluatinglearning; and many ways foryouth to share this newknowledge. Communicationmethods include speeches,demonstrations, displays,mentoring younger 4-Hmembers, and outreach venuesfor sharing information witholder adults. Links to sciencestandards, backgroundinformation and additionalactivities enhance thecurriculum. Important life skillsdescribed throughout the guideinclude: information gatheringand analysis, using the scientificmethod, teamwork, planningand organizing, solving

problems, decision-making,communicating with others,developing confidence, andbecoming a responsible citizen.

Pam Paletta, 4-H youtheducator with Penn StateExtension in WashingtonCounty, Pa., worked with 30members of her County Councilteen youth group during theWashington County Fair in July2011 to get the word out to thecommunity about properdisposal of unwantedmedicines. “Now that I’ve readthe information in this 4-Hguide, I’m more aware of bestways to dispose of the pills I nolonger need,” said Paletta. Her

group will now educate others.Peggy Ehlers, Extension

educator from DearbornCounty, Ind., has alreadyworked with her community’smedicine collection programand plans to get her county’s4-H youth involved in springand summer of 2012 to work oninformation campaigns for arearesidents.

You can order your copy ofthe 4-H curriculum guideonline at www.unwantedmeds.org.

R O B I N G O E T T E L , IISGdirector for education, can bereached at [email protected].


In most homes, children arekept out of medicinecabinets to protect them

from the dangers of chemicals inmedications. Illinois-IndianaSea Grant’s (IISG) latest product,“The Medicine Chest,” inviteshigh school students tometaphorically open those doorsto investigate what makes thosechemicals harmful to people,pets, and the environment.

“The new curriculumcollection gives educators aninstructional tool to create aninnovative service-learningexperience for their students,while tackling an importantenvironmental and humanhealth concern,” said IISGEducation Specialist TerriHallesy, who helped design thisresource. “Through involvementin this project,0 students serveas agents for change, educatingtheir communities about actionsteps they can take to reduceharm to aquatic ecosystemsfrom improper disposal ofunwanted medicines.”

The impetus that serves as thecenterpiece for this curriculumis participation in thePrescription Pill and DrugDisposal Program (P2D2)established by Pontiac HighSchool teachers.

Jordyn Schara, a student atReedsburg Area High School,initiated a P2D2 program in herWisconsin community. Her goals

include: providing proper freedisposal of unused medications,keeping them fromcontaminating water in rivers,lakes and streams; and keepingyoung people from using thesemedications at parties to gethigh.

“Young people ages 12 to 17abuse prescription drugs morethan cocaine, heroin andmethamphetamine combined,”Schara said, citing a 2006national survey on drug use andhealth.

Another collaboration withWindy City Earth Force inChicago has also allowed IISG towork with Chicago teachersLaura Senteno and RosemaryReddice and their seventh- andeighth-grade classes to get theword out. Their students werevery enthusiastic about creatingstewardship projects to informadults in their community.Students wrote an informationalbrochure, a public serviceannouncement, and made fliersand distributed them at thenearby train station for the DrugEnforcement Agency collectionevent in Chicago on April 30.

To download this freecurriculum visit www.iisgcp.org/education/safe_disposal_curriculum.html.

R O B I N G O E T T E L , IISGdirector for education, can bereached at [email protected].

I R E N E M I L E S , IISGcommunication coordinator, canbe reched at [email protected].

What’s in yourmedicine chest?By ROBIN GOETTELand IRENE MILESContributing writers

4-H youth becomes stewards for safe water ecosystemBy ROBIN GOETTELContributing writer

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Robin Goettel, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant directorfor education works with Windy City Earth Forcestudents in Chicago.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the P2D2 program usebillboards to share proper disposal sites for unsuedmeds.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Fifteen collection boxes provided by P2D2 and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant kept 4,607 pounds of expired orunused medicines from causing problems in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin communities in 2010.



undo the environmental chemical brew

keep the chemicals in pharmaceuticals andpersonal care products (PPCPs) out of the environment!

monitor PPCP purchase, use, storage and disposal.read labels, reduce use and replace products with safer alternatives.

insist on standards that avoid toxic chemicals and encourage green chemistry.

Publication funding is provided by an EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant. To find a Great Lakes Sea Grant program near you, visit www.miseagrant.umich.edu/greatlkaes

Protect Great Lakes water for future generations

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