River cleanup involves more than pulling out tires and appliances
Prescription drugs, scrap metal will be collected
September 17, 2011
By BRIAN FERRY
bferry@timesobserver.com
Cleaning up the Allegheny River isn't all about aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and tires.
Nor is it limited to the household appliances, lawn decorations, and several-hundred-pound snow plows that volunteers with the annual Allegheny River Cleanup sometimes come across.
This year, the project includes materials that no volunteer could even see, let alone grab and throw into a trash receptacle.
Prescription medications, when disposed of by flushing into the sewer system, often make it to waterways.
The environmental effects of flushing medications are being studied.
To combat that form of pollution, the River Rats (the leaders of the cleanup operation) invited law enforcement agents to run a drug take-back on the last day of this year's event.
A tent will be set up in the vacant lot at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Market Street in Warren from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and Youngsville Police Chief Todd Mineweaser will supervise the collection.
All prescription medications will be accepted and disposed of by methods approved by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Syringes will not be accepted.
Another prevention portion of the cleanup is the availability of a container where residents can turn in junk metal. That container will also be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Cleanup volunteers will be available to help unload heavy and bulky items.
bferry@timesobserver.com
Cleaning up the Allegheny River isn't all about aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and tires.
Nor is it limited to the household appliances, lawn decorations, and several-hundred-pound snow plows that volunteers with the annual Allegheny River Cleanup sometimes come across.
This year, the project includes materials that no volunteer could even see, let alone grab and throw into a trash receptacle.
Prescription medications, when disposed of by flushing into the sewer system, often make it to waterways.
The environmental effects of flushing medications are being studied.
To combat that form of pollution, the River Rats (the leaders of the cleanup operation) invited law enforcement agents to run a drug take-back on the last day of this year's event.
A tent will be set up in the vacant lot at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Market Street in Warren from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and Youngsville Police Chief Todd Mineweaser will supervise the collection.
All prescription medications will be accepted and disposed of by methods approved by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Syringes will not be accepted.
Another prevention portion of the cleanup is the availability of a container where residents can turn in junk metal. That container will also be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Cleanup volunteers will be available to help unload heavy and bulky items.
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