Operation Medicine Cabinet September 23-25
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
September 9, 2010
Contact:
Waste Commission of Scott County
(563) 381-1300
OPERATION MEDICINE CABINET OFFERS FREE, SAFE DISPOSAL
DAVENPORT, Iowa—Area residents can safely dispose of old medications, exchange mercury thermometers for a digital, pick up and drop off sharps containers, and have data-sensitive documents shredded free of charge during Operation Medicine Cabinet, September 23-25, 2010. New this year, residents can also drop off compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), which contain mercury.
Operation Medicine Cabinet will be held in Eldridge, Bettendorf and Davenport from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations:
- Thursday, September 23
Medic EMS Facility, LeClaire Road & Highway 61, Eldridge
- Friday, September 24
Bettendorf Fire Station, Middle Road & Crow Creek Road, Bettendorf
- Saturday, September 25
Scott Area Recycling Center, 5640 Carey Avenue, Davenport
Following are some rules and guidelines for the event:
- Sharps must be in a sealed, rigid container
- Mercury thermometers and CFLs must be packaged to prevent breakage
- Only one digital thermometer will be given per household
- Documents for shredding should be in bags or cardboard boxes; containers will not be returned
- Only paper documents will be accepted for shredding
- Staples and paperclips in paper documents are acceptable
- Binders and metal rings in paper documents are not acceptable
- Event is free of charge and open to residents of eastern Iowa and western Illinois
- Business waste will not be accepted
Properly disposing of pharmaceuticals and medications reduces the risk of mis-medication, accidental poisoning, theft/drug abuse and pollution of our waterways & groundwater caused by flushing. In addition, the event encourages safe and proper disposal of medical sharps and mercury-containing thermometers and CFLs and reduces the risk of identity theft through document shredding. Scott County law-enforcement officials supervise the disposal of all materials.
This event is sponsored by: City of Bettendorf, Bettendorf Police Department, Davenport Police Department, Document Destruction and Recycling Services, Generations Area Agency on Aging, Iowa American Water, Medic EMS, Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Scott County Health Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Waste Commission of Scott County and Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging. Residents can call Waste Commission of Scott County at 563-381-1300 or visit www.wastecom.com for additional information.
This is the fifth annual Operation Medicine Cabinet. Last year’s event yielded 10,473 pounds of material, which included approximately 1,128 pounds of pharmaceuticals, 975 pounds of sharps, 15 pounds of mercury thermometers and 8,325 pounds of documents for shredding. The three-day event served 888 households.
###
Related Items