Gather Your Meds to Shed

With the help of local organizations, Wilton residents can .

Volunteers from Wilton's EMS and the Conservation Commission will be on hand at the Comstock Community Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wilton residents can bring expired, unwanted, or unneeded prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and pet medications for safe and sound disposal. Medications should be left in original containers.

"Cleaning out medicine cabinets prevents contamination of the environment and reduces the risk of prescription drug abuse," said Heather Porter, director of marketing and business development for Norwalk's Silver Hill Hospital.

Sponsors of the event include Aquarion Water Company and the waste disposal company Stericycle. And Wilton Pizza and Connecticut Bagel Company have also donated food at cost for the day, said conservation commission member Kim Young.

"It all fell into place," said Young. "If you flush all these meds down your toilet you are putting it into the water supply."

Last year Aquarion participated in a pilot program in Monroe and Trumbull. Based on the success of that program Aquarion decided to sponsor both the Wilton and New Canaan programs.

"We're a water company, but also environmental stewards," said Len Dejong of Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut. "This is part of our Earth Day program."

Nearly 17,000 acres surround Aquarion's water reserves. The property, the Centennial Watershed, is managed together with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and The Nature Conservancy.

The company has a vested interest in ensuring proper disposal of pharmaceuticals, Dejong said.

"There isn't any hazard to drinking water," Dejong said. "Connecticut has one of the toughest laws in the nation protecting the water supply."

If someone can't make the event, one can still safely dispose of medicine. People should remove pills from their original containers and put them in something such as an empty yogurt container or Ziploc bag. Dilute the pills with a small amount of water.

"Then add something foul like coffee grounds and kitty litter," Porter said.

Silver Hill will pass out informational cards at the event to educate people on how to reduce the misuse of prescription drugs.

"We treat a lot of patients from Wilton and we felt it's important to be involved in the local community," said Porter. "Since we treat substance abuse this was a good fit."