Indiana-Illinois Sea Grant Program Toolkits Assist Communities

One of more than 30 Sea Grant Programs in the U.S., the Indiana-Illinois Sea Grant (IISG) is focused on the southern Lake Michigan region. This 104 mile shoreline is home to one-third of the population of the Great Lakes area.

The program is funded through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University of Illinois and Purdue University. IISG works in partnerships with key stakeholders – scientists, educators, community policymakers, business leaders, and the general public – to work towards a healthy environment and economy.

One of IISG‘s priorities is pollution prevention, including effective disposal of unused medication. “The use of prescription medicine increases and new drugs come on the market every year in this country”, said Elizabeth Hinchey Malloy, IISG Great Lakes ecosystem specialist. ”When prescriptions change, drugs expire or are no longer needed, these medicines are typically discarded. But pharmaceuticals flushed down the toilet can pass undestroyed through sewage plants, damage septic systems, and contaminate nearby waterways.”

Through EPA funding, IISG created a series of tool kits for communities seeking to launch disposal programs. The tool kits – one for citizens and community leaders, and one for teachers and students – are available online and feature modules on holding successful collection events, outreach and education materials, state legislation on drug disposal, international policies, and additional resources. Over 160 resource kits have been distributed and IISG has held workshops for over 100 local officials. As a result, a number of communities or counties in the Great Lakes region have begun collection programs.

Recently, the tool kits have received national recognition as the best education program by the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association (NAHMMA). NAHMMA is comprised of more than 500 hazardous materials management professionals that come together to advance education, foster communication, encourage policy development, recognize exemplary programs and provide professional development opportunities. IISG received the award at NAHMMA’s annual conference this October.

IISG’s unwanted medications initiative has received additional accolades. Earlier this year, the project was selected for Honorable Mention by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable in the category of MVP Pollution Prevention Award 2007. Also, for the month of September, the project’s web page has been chosen Site of the Month by the Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable.

IISG project officers are pleased with the success of the program and see opportunities to expand offerings in the future. "Based on the tremendous response we have received from our workshops and tool kits, it is clear that communities are looking for alternatives to flushing and throwing medicines in the trash, and we are trying to provide as much support as we can," said Susan E. Boehme, IISG coastal sediment specialist.

To learn more about the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s Unwanted Medications initiative, visit their website.