Month: October 2022

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Expired or Unwanted Medications are Properly Disposed to Keep from Entering Community’s Aquifer

Plainview, N.Y. (October 27, 2022)—The Plainview Water District (PWD) successfully hosted its fifth annual Pharmaceutical Take Back Day and collected more than 300 pounds of unwanted or expired medications. These medications will now be disposed of properly in order to prevent them from making it into the community’s sole-source aquifer for drinking water. This District has now collected and properly disposed of more than 1,400 pounds of medications since it began this annual event five years ago.

“We are pleased to offer this opportunity to POB residents for the past five years,” said PWD Chairman Marc Laykind. “The turn out that we see each year shows that there is a need for a service like this in our community. The District is proud and looks forward to continuing to serve and work with residents to come together and protect our shared environment and water supply.”

When someone improperly disposes of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away in the garbage, there is a likelihood that the medications’ contents will ultimately make their way into the community water ways and water supply. If there is an elevated presence of toxins from pharmaceuticals in the groundwater, the District will have no choice but to invest in expensive treatment systems so the contaminants can be removed before they reach customers’ homes.

“Each year, the Plainview-Old Bethpage community continues to join us in participating in our annual Pharmaceutical Takeback Day to help us protect our water source,” said PWD Commissioner Andrew Bader. “The District is grateful for the continued community-wide involvement and support, as this event would not be successful without it. We thank all of those who participated this year, for helping us protect our environment and water ways with the proper disposal of these medications.”

This year’s Pharmaceutical Take Back Day was once again held in partnership with the Nassau County Police Department. This anonymous, contactless drive-thru event included social distancing and safety protocols which helped the District bolster participation. The event was held at the PWD headquarters at 10 Manetto Hill Road on Saturday, October 22.

“Protecting our shared environment from these potentially harmful substances requires a collective community effort,” said PWD Commissioner Amanda Field. “For the past five years, the POB community has continued to show up to participate in the proper disposal of these substances. We continue to surpass the previous year’s collection totals and are thrilled to continue to offer this event annually. Thank you to all that came out to participate!”

For additional information about the Plainview Water District, please call (516) 931-6469 or visit the Plainview Water District website at www.plainviewwater.org. Residents can also sign up to receive information by submitting their email address through the District’s homepage or following them on Facebook in order to stay up-to-date with District activities and initiatives.

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As seen in the Bethpage Newsgram on September 29, 2022

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As seen in the Mid-Island Times on September 29, 2022

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District Once Again Provides Community with Convenient, Drive-Thru Opportunity to Safely Dispose Unwanted Medications

Plainview, N.Y. (September 22, 2022)— The Plainview Water District (PWD) is hosting its fifth annual Pharmaceutical Take Back Day on Saturday, October 22 between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm at 10 Manetto Hill Road. During this event, residents are encouraged to stop by to safely and properly dispose of any unwanted or expired medications. As a part of the PWD’s Preserve Plainview initiative, this annual drive-thru event ensures the proper disposal of pharmaceuticals and prevents them from making their way into the aquifer which is our community’s sole-source of drinking water.

“We encourage the Plainview-Old Bethpage community to participate in this event to dispose of their expired or unused medications in a safe and convenient way,” said PWD Chairman Marc Laykind. “As a community, it is our collective responsibility to protect our drinking water and continue to make all efforts to protect our shared environment. POB residents continue to impress us with their participation each year and we look forward to making this year the most successful yet.”

Normally, if someone flushes medications down the toilet or throws them in the garbage, there is a likelihood that the medications’ contents will ultimately make their way into the community waterways and water supply. If there is an elevated presence of toxins from pharmaceuticals in the groundwater, the District will have no choice but to invest in expensive treatment systems to remove any contaminants before they reach customers’ homes.

“As part of the Plainview-Old Bethpage community, we each have a responsibility to protect our environment from any potentially harmful substances for the simple fact that the activities we engage in on the surface will eventually impact our future water quality,” said PWD Commissioner Andrew Bader. “Pharmaceutical Take Back Day provides our community with an easy way to contribute to protecting our environment by ensuring unused medications don’t end up in the wrong hands or in the wrong places.”

This year, Pharmaceutical Take Back Day, which is held in partnership with the Nassau County Police Department, will take place on October 22nd from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. All residents with unused or expired medications are encouraged to drop them off at the District’s headquarters—10 Manetto Hill Road—and may do so anonymously without having to leave their vehicles.  

“Pharmaceutical Take Back Day continues to be an effective event each and every year thanks to the members of the Plainview-Old Bethpage community,” said PWD Commissioner Amanda Field. “Coming together each year to collect nearly 300 pounds of unwanted medication, is simply a testament to the members of the POB community’s dedication to helping Preserve Plainview.”

For additional information about the Plainview Water District’s Pharmaceutical Take Back Day or other District initiatives, please call (516) 931-6469 or visit the Plainview Water District website at www.plainviewwater.org. Residents can also sign up to receive information by submitting their email address through the District’s homepage or following them on Facebook in order to stay up-to-date with District activities and initiatives.

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