Free, special collection for old prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals for residents of southwest Michigan set for June 21, 2008 in Kalamazoo County Residents of the Kalamazoo area and all of southwest Michigan can to their part to protect the Great Lakes during a free public pharmaceutical collection later this month. Old and unwanted medicines and personal care products will be accepted on Saturday, June 21, from 9 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Loy Norrix High School, 606 E. Kilgore (off Lovers Lane) in Kalamazoo. The pharmaceutical collection is sponsored by Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that provided a grant for the project. The collection is connected to the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge that involves over 100 projects in eight states across the Great Lakes Basin. Southwest Michigan residents can rid their home of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals plus personal care products. For example - items that will be accepted include: • Prescription medication, such as antibiotics, birth control, and insulin (but no sharps or syringes) • Medication samples and over-the-counter medication, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, cold medicine • Personal care products, such as medicated ointments, lotions, and shampoos • Veterinary medications Items that will not be accepted include: • Medical waste like sharps and syringes • Products containing mercury like thermometers --- The collection is free to all households in southwest Michigan. Organizers say the collection is important to protect Lake Michigan and other lakes and streams - like Arcadia Creek. The reason - an investigation by the Associated Press found a wide variety of pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, mood stabilizers and hormones, in the drinking water of 41 million Americans. Most medications pass untreated through wastewater treatment plants because those facilities are not designed to remove the chemicals. That means the pharmaceuticals are discharged into local rivers or groundwater For more information call 269-373-5211 Or visit the EPA and Kalamazoo County websites at these addresses: http://www.epa.gov/ppcp http://www.kalcounty.com/hcs Again - a free pharmaceutical collection for residents of the Kalamazoo area and southwest Michigan will be held on Saturday, June 21 from 9 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Loy Norrix High School 606 E. Kilgore (off Lovers Lane) Kalamazoo, Michigan The pharmaceutical collection is sponsored by Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The goal of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge was the collecting and recycling of one million pounds of electronics (e-Waste) plus the collection and proper disposal of one million pills. The EPA says those goals were exceeded many times over. The Earth Healing Initiative assisted challenge organizers by offering interfaith liaisons to volunteer and encourage members of local churches and temples to participate in the Earth Day related events in their area. This video on the projects connected to the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge was made possible by a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with the EPA's Region 5 office in Chicago the EPA Great Lakes national Program Office also in Chicago in cooperation with the non-profit Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative in Marquette MI The EHI involves American Indian tribes and a coalition of churches, synagogues and other faith traditions joining together to heal, protect and defend the environment. I'm Greg Peterson and you're watching Earth Healing TV --- Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services http://www.kalcounty.com/hcs Kalamazoo Cnty. Enviro. Health Bureau http://www.kalcounty.com/eh/index.htm Kalamazoo County: http://www.kalcounty.com --- EPA: http://www.epa.gov/ppcp --- EPA Region 5 Office Chicago, Ill. http://www.epa.gov/region5 --- Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative http://www.EarthHealingInitiative.org Cedar Tree Institute http://www.CedarTreeInstitute.org --- Kalamazoo Southwest Michigan First: http://www.southwestmichiganfirst.com... --- Kalamazoo Downtown Central City: http://www.central-city.net --- Kalamazoo Wikimedia: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Kal... http://www.kalamazooriver.net --- Loy Norrix High School: http://www.kalamazoopublicschools.com... --- Interfaith graphics by Justice St. Rain (Baha'i Community) of Interfaith Resources Special Ideas website: http://www.interfaithresources.com 1-800-326-1197 (toll free) 1-847-733-3559 (wk) Interfaith Resources P.O. Box 9 511 Diamond Rd Heltonville, IN 47436