The Ultimate Prescription Drug Disposal Toolbox

The mission of the Waynedale Green Alliance is to bring the new 'green' vocabulary to Waynedale and everywhere! The objective is to inject these terms into the vernacular of our culture and in so doing bring imagination, innovation and development in important areas such as energy conservation, biodiversity, energy poverty, global warming, and green business practices.

We have created several methods of accomplishing this goal. One of them is to find pioneers in the field -those who have stepped up and put in place programs that enable citizens, young and old, actively engaged, or on the precipice of change to make a difference on Planet Earth.

Eric Bohm is a teacher at Normal, Illinois. I interviewed Eric to find out how he and the students of Pontiac High School put together the P2D2 program. A prescription drug program that engaged not only the students, but the whole community of Normal.

I was able to ask a variety of questions about the P2D2 program and get an idea of what the students did, how the program came about ,and how the community came together to accomplish this important goal.

Normal, Illinois had a population in a 2005 census of 50, 519- and was named in Forbes.com in February, 2008, #20 on its list of the 25 smartest communities in the United States.

After reading the following discussion with Eric Bohm, we might all see why Normal made that ranking.

ABS) Tell us about the inspiration behind the Pontiac Prescription Drug Program.

EB) The idea for the project came when Paul Ritter's wife, Jodee, asked what she should do with some unused pharmaceuticals in their medicine cabinet. Not sure what the correct method of disposal was, Paul posed the question to his Ecology students and they went right to work. The students utilized information from the Internet, and enlisted the help of local officials from Illinois American Water and Pontiac.

Their hard work and effort uncovered startling information pertaining to the effect of pharmaceuticals on the quality of drinking water around the world. They found that scientists with the United States Geological Society have detected drugs such as antibiotics, anti-depressants, birth control pills, seizure medication, cancer treatments, pain killers, tranquilizers and cholesterol-lowering compounds in varied ground water sources.

Students also learned that, currently, waste water treatment methods in the United States are not designed to remove many of these chemicals from our water supply. Scientists are worried that, in humans, the chemicals in our water could increase rates of breast, testicular, and prostate cancer, as well as lower sperm counts, and disrupt hormones.

Furthermore the scientists also fear that increased levels of antibiotics in our environment could lead to eventual increases in bacterial resistance. From their own research, the Ecology students at Pontiac Township High School put together presentations for their local pharmacies, including K-mart, Sartoris Super Drugs, and Walgreens. These retailers were asked to allow patrons to bring in unused prescription drugs for proper and safe disposal.

ABS) What part do you play in the operation of the program?

EB) My Illinois Studies class has led a letter writing campaign to ask federal, state, and local officials to help educate the citizenry about the benefits of proper disposal of their prescription and non-prescription drugs. Numerous legislators, environmental groups, and educators have returned letters and stated they are encouraged by the work of the Illinois Studies and Ecology students and hope students in their area will also take up the program.

The media group especially has been an important part of the P2D2 team contacting various television and radio stations with a great response. After contacting a popular radio show down in Bloomington, the word of the project spread like wildfire. Thanks not only to the media group, but also the other groups within the class, the project has gained statewide attention from those officials down in the state capital of Springfield. The Illinois Studies class has truly been a beneficial part of making and spreading the P2D2 program and its goal of inspiring people of the world to be good stewards and take it upon themselves to help all living creatures on Earth.

ABS) Do you think this is the type of program that could be instituted in any city or school?

EB) This is not a real easy question to answer. I do not know the law in all 50 states concerning the returning of non-controlled medication to pharmacies. However, I believe the program is a reproducible because the program is very easy and takes advantage of processes that are already in place. Pharmacies already return expired drugs through a reverse distributor and police already have standard operating procedures in place for removing drugs off the streets. We are just taking advantage of programs and processes already in place.

ABS) What were the initial obstacles in organizing P2D2- and how did the abbreviation originate?

EB) We really have not had many obstacles. Paul came to me and asked what I thought, I then spoke with my students and they said they wanted to be part. From there, all the other teachers and students who were asked to be a part did not hesitate to put their expertise to work for the program.

Concerning the abbreviation, Paul and I were talking one day and he mentioned P2D2 and we decided to go with it. You have to remember that we grew up around Star Wars and R2D2, so it was a natural fit.

ABS) How did you get your message out to your community? Were there specific resources you relied on to help carry the word?

EB) We have had great support from our local media outlets. Every time we give them a call they agree to create a story. The Peoria television networks have been very supportive of the program and the students. They have done numerous stories about the program and continue to call us to get more information on what we are doing. In addition, we put up an informational billboard that provided community members with the locations of where the program was in place.

ABS) I noticed your local police department is involved- is this true of all local police departments when it comes to controlled substances?

EB) According to the DEA official we spoke with all police departments have the authority, through federal law, to collect controlled substances.

ABS) What kind of impact did the P2D2 program have on your school as a whole?

EB) We have had all kinds of positive feedback from students, parents, and community members. The students have been in many different magazine articles, television spots, and newspaper articles. We have received numerous awards for our work and continue to receive accolades. All the while staying humble and realizing that this program is bigger than any one of us.

ABS) Is there a special story that might have occurred during the creation of the P2D2 that you would like to share with the readers? One that showed how important and necessary this type of project can be?

EB) The entire concept of allowing students to have a say in their educational process has been the key to this program. I did not make the students work on this project. All I did was present the information to them and ask if they wanted to participate. Before long they were working full steam ahead and I was just the guide on the side.

I was amazed at how civically engaged they became and how quickly they realized that they, as 16, 17, and 18 year olds, had a say in the governing process. The students began to realize how important it was to take part in a civic cause that they believed in.

The other day I had a former student inform me that she had mentioned the P2D2 program at the Eco Club meeting she attended at Illinois State University and all the members were very interested in getting a program started as soon as possible. She was very excited because she is only a freshman and the seniors are listening to what she has to say.

As a teacher that is awesome, here I have a former student who is continuing the process of educating others about the harm done when people improperly dispose of unwanted and expired medications. She is continuing the education that began in my classroom - that is awesome!

ABS) What has been the most common drug returned?

EB) We do not keep track of the drugs returned so I cannot provide you with any data.

ABS) What is the vision of the future for the P2D2?

EB) We hope to create a "turn key" P2D2 program that other educators can take and implement in their classrooms. We have been working on curriculum and hope to have it completed soon.

In addition, we hope to continue the process of engaging students, because when they become engaged in the learning process we all win.

Eric Bohm, the students of the school, and the whole community of Normal, Illinois came together to solve the serious prescription drug disposal challenge. Currently, there are prescription drug disposal programs in place in most cities. But, what P2D2 accomplished was the construction of a coalition in the Normal community. The community came together- teachers, students, media, law enforcement and the Average Joe and Jane and they stepped up into a greener world.