Pennsylvania American Water Protects Against Dangers of Improper Prescription Disposal

Pennsylvania American Water is joining forces with the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Agency to encourage participation in National Prescription
Drug Take Back Day on April 27. This awareness campaign encourages area
residents to clean out their medicine cabinets and turn medications in
safely and anonymously at their local
collection site on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For those who are
unable to participate, the campaign teaches the public how to conduct
proper disposal at home.

“Far too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong
hands and into our community water supplies, potentially causing
environmental harm,” said Jennifer Heymann, source water protection
program manager, for American Water’s Mid-Atlantic Division. “The best
and most cost-effective way to ensure safe water at the tap is to keep
our water supplies clean. It is important to prevent pollutants,
including pharmaceutical products, from entering our water supplies.
That’s why we strongly encourage the public to take advantage of
collection sites or to learn how to safely dispose of these materials at
home.”

Pennsylvania American Water advises that common methods for disposing of
unused medicines, such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them
directly in the trash, are ineffective and can even be dangerous. These
methods may pose potential safety and health hazards both for the person
disposing the medicine and for the environment.

How to properly dispose of expired, unused and unwanted medications:

The best way to dispose of prescription drugs is to drop them off at
free drug take-back events in your area, which will ensure disposal in
an environmentally safe manner and help prevent pill theft and abuse. If
you are unable to do so, follow these steps suggested by the Food & Drug
Administration to dispose of your medications at home:

1. Take the medication out of its original container(s).
2. Mix the medication with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee
   grounds, cat litter or vegetable oil.
3. Put the mixture in a disposable container with a lid, such as a milk
   carton, margarine tub or sealable bag.
4. Conceal personal information on the drug container, including Rx
   number, by using a permanent marker or duct tape, or by scratching it
   off.
5. Place the sealed container with the mixture and the empty drug
   containers in the trash.

“At Pennsylvania American Water, water quality and safety are our top
priorities,” adds Heymann. “While the Environmental Protection Agency
sets water quality standards intended to protect public health, it
currently does not require water utilities to monitor for
pharmaceuticals in water and has not set treatment standards for
pharmaceuticals in water. However, research studies have shown that the
treatment processes used by Pennsylvania American Water can be effective
for removing many pharmaceutical compounds, and we continue to treat and
deliver water that meets or exceeds all applicable drinking water
standards.”

Pennsylvania American Water sponsors a number of drop box locations
across its service territory for residents to safely dispose of unwanted
drugs for free, no questions asked. Some are even available 24/7. For
locations and more information, visit https://amwater.com/paaw/water-quality/pharmaceuticals-and-drinking-water.

Furthermore, Pennsylvania American Water maintains a comprehensive
environmental policy that includes responsible business practices,
compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and stewardship of
natural resources. The company voluntarily participates in consumer
advocacy and awareness programs, offers community and school outreach on
watershed protection and water conservation, and partners with local law
enforcement agencies and health agencies to promote drug-take back
events.

For more information on Pennsylvania American Water, visit www.pennsylvaniaamwater.com.
For more information on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, visit https://takebackday.dea.gov/.
Year-round collection sites can be found on this searchable DEA
site.

Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK),
is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing
high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to
approximately 2.4 million people. With a history dating back to 1886,
American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S.
publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company
employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated
and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services
to an estimated 14 million people in 46 states and Ontario, Canada.
American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water
services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For
more information, visit amwater.com
and follow American Water on Twitter,
Facebook
and LinkedIn.

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