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By DOUG HARLOW
Staff Writer 10/21/2007

enlarge Staff photo by Jeff Pouland

COUNTING PILLS: Volunteer Latinka Ilinska of Norridgewock counts some narcotic pills during a presciption drug drop-off at the bus terminal in Waterville on Saturday. Ann Pistell, left, of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection was recording narcotics brought in in a data base on a laptop. Michael Friel, right, who is a pharmacist at Inland Hospital in Waterville was helping to sort nonnarcotic and narcotic drugs that were dropped off.

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And they were glad to do it legally, safely and without damaging the environment.

It was the first-ever drug drop-off day, a part of the annual hazardous waste disposal program conducted at the bus station on Airport Road.

Police officers, along with pharmaceutical and environmental officials, were on hand to make sure everything went according to plan.

"There are two reasons they want to drop off the drugs," said Ann Pistell, an environmental specialist with the state Department of Environmental Protection. "Drug crimes and because we are trying to get the word out that people should not flush drugs because we're seeing impacts in the aquatic ecosystem.

"Never flush. We have picked up traces of drugs -- medications -- in people's well water that have migrated from their septic systems into their well. It's never a good idea."

The idea for a drug drop-off day first was hatched by Ross Nason, the environmental planner for Kennebec Valley Council of Governments.

Nason said Saturday that about 140 vehicles showed up for the program as part of the regularly-scheduled hazardous waste drop-off day

The program, which has been in place in other areas of the state, Pistell said, is for residents of Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, Oakland, Rome, Sidney, China and Benton

"We're seeing a good amount of controlled substances -- narcotics -- which is important to get those in because they are involved in crime and overdoses," Pistell said Saturday. "We've got oxycodone, Hydrocodone, codeine, Percocet, Darvon.

"Some people don't take the full regime, they may have been issued more than they needed and they don't want them hanging around because of prescription drug-related crime."

Nason has teamed up with Waterville and Oakland police, a pharmacist and a nursing student from Inland Hospital, as well as the DEP and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency on the program, funded in part by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.

Environmental experts estimate that 50 to 90 percent of active the ingredients in medicines are not absorbed or broken down by the body. More than 100 different pharmaceuticals have been identified in drinking and surface water.

One Oakland resident who rolled up to the tables Saturday morning where workers prepared to separate hazardous waste and prescription drugs, said she was combining her efforts on Saturday

"I've got some medication -- some unused prescription drugs -- and a bucket of driveway sealer," said Maralyn Jones. "Throwing it out is a bad idea -- and I work at KVCOG and I know better."

Mike Friel, pharmacy director at Inland Hospital, and a member of Pharmacy Outreach at Eastern Maine Medical Center, was on hand to help separate the drugs according to type and schedule.

"We're dealing with an array of different medications," Friel said. "Anything from diabetic medications through pain relief medications, narcotics. We segregate the narcotic medications, controlled medications, from the regular medications, sleep aids, cough syrups that people have that are outdated and they aren't sure how to dispose of -- that's why were here."

Friel and Pistell said the drug drop-off is the preferred way to dispose of unwanted and unused drugs -- even over-the-counter medications for colds and sniffles. He said it keeps drugs out of the landfills and the sewer systems, the ground water and ultimately area rivers and streams.

Some of the non-narcotic medications are destined for a hazardous waste incinerator out of state. The controlled substances -- the narcotics which carry a hefty street value if in the wrong hands -- are bundled up and turned over to police for disposal.

Oakland and Waterville police officers were on duty Saturday, ready to turn the drugs over to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency for disposal.

"We'll log them into evidence at the station and then they'll be turned over to MDEA,'' Officer Duane Cloutier of the Waterville Police Department said. "I'm going to wrap them in evidence tape and bring them back to the station, then I imagine my sergeant will log them and turn them over."

The line was long Saturday, but residents of the eight participating towns were happy to be doing the right thing.

"We have very little, actually," said Anna Mitchell, as she and her husband Saliem of Waterville made their drop off. "Just a can of paint and some prescription drugs -- mostly vitamins. It's a good idea. You've got to protect the environment, I guess."

Doug Harlow -- 861-9244

dharlow@centralmaine.com

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