June 10, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES II, III & IV • Page 17 �������������������������� Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause environmental damage if they reach the sewer system because they are not adequately destroyed by sewer treatment plants and can enter the water supply. As a result, disposing of medications down the sink or toilet is no longer recommended. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has advised the Township of Wyckoff that all prescription medications should be safely disposed of by the following: Keep medicine in its original container. Mark out personal information on prescription containers. Dispose of pills or capsules in the household trash, dilute with water, then add coffee grinds, cat litter, or dirt. Mix any liquid medicine with any of the same substances. Place containers inside an opaque container such as a yogurt container, and secure the lid. Dispose in the trash. Wrap glass vials of injectable medications in layers of absorbent materials (such as a rag or paper towel) then place in a plastic bag. Tie the bag securely and hit it with a hammer on a hard surface to break the glass. Dispose of entire package in the household trash. Unwrap prescription suppositories and dispose of the suppositories and foil wrappers in the household trash. Syringes containing medication should be expelled into paper towels, which should be bagged and disposed of in the household trash. Used, empty syringes should be placed in a sharps container, or hard plastic or metal container with a screw on or tightly secured lid (e.g., plastic laundry detergent container). Mark the container “Used Syringes and Lancets,” and discard in the household trash. Unwrap medication contained in skin patches and discard it separately in the household trash. Empty prescription medication powders into the household trash. Empty containers should then be placed in the household trash. Liquid medication, including eye drops, should be poured or squeezed from the container. Dispose of the empty container in the household trash. Controlled substances should be returned to the prescribing physician or pharmacist. Federal law regarding controlled substances such as narcotics states, “No person shall be in control of (i.e., possess) a controlled substance (i.e., drug) unless they are properly registered by the federal government (e.g., pharmacists, physicians) or are the recipient of a prescribed drug (i.e., a patient).” All unused or expired medications should be safely disposed of when no longer needed. Never take any medication prescribed for someone else. Medications should be stored out of the reach of children. A comprehensive list of items and their Wyckoff Sale Days June 11-12-13 Medication disposal without environmental damage proper disposal methods can be found on Wyckoff on the Web (www.wyckoffnj.com) under Departments then Board of Health at: www.wyckoff-nj.com. Showcasing their talent Phoebe and Alex are two of the many Sicomac School students that recently participated in the Third Grade Community Service Showcase. The showcase recognized the efforts of each third grade student and provided them the opportunity to proudly display their work. From volunteering time at local nursing homes to organizing food drives, these students proved they were able to meet the challenge of making the world a more beautiful place. ��������� ������� �������� ����� ������ ����� �������������������������� ������������������������ ���������������������� 6-10-09 pat/janine ������������������������� ����������������������������� ����������������������� EdwardJones3x3WithPic(6-10-09) �������� ��������������� ���������������� ������ ������� ����������� �������� 3x3 � ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������� ������������ ��������������������������������� �������������������������������������������� ������������������������� � ��������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ �������������������������������������