Scout targets used drugs Rx disposal plan a hit

Scout targets used drugs Rx disposal plan a hit She did the entire thing on her own — from start to finish. No teacher helped her. -- PAUL A. RITTER, FOUNDER, P2D2 CLINTON — Ashley Peloso was shocked when she read a magazine article that said 80 percent of U.S. water tested by the U.S. Geological Survey had traces of prescription drugs that had been flushed down toilets. Her concern led the 14-year-old student at the Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School in Marlboro to make the problem her Girl Scout Silver Award project. The result is a shiny red drop box recently set up in the police station lobby for the disposal of old or unwanted pills, ointments, inhalers, and liquid medicines, either prescription or over-the-counter. Even old pet medications can be put into the collection box. Needles, syringes, thermometers, aerosol cans, IV bags and blood-containing or infectious waste products are not accepted. Ashley, a member of Troop 30868, said her research led to an Illinois-based nonprofit organization, P2D2 (Prescription Pill & Drug Disposal), a national collaboration among pharmacies, police departments, and communities to safely dispose of drugs. After discussing her idea with P2D2 founder Paul A. Ritter, an environmental science teacher in Pontiac, Ill., Ashley approached Police Chief Mark R. Laverdure, who agreed to let her place a collection box in the station lobby. The chief, after learning of the box requirements — it can’t just be a wooden, plastic or other type of unsecured container — donated a postal box obtained from the U.S. Postal Service after the post-9-11 anthrax-related scares several years ago. The box was to be used for suspicious envelopes and packages, but has seen little use. Chief Laverdure also agreed to have the contents of the drop box taken to an incineration operation in Wareham every six months. “I was all for it,” the chief said. “There’s a need to get this stuff off of the street so it doesn’t harm the environment.” Ashley spent 50 hours on the project, including a day at the Clinton Olde Home Day in early September explaining the program to fellow residents. She has created fliers and posters chock full of information. The efforts paid off, for she will get the Silver Award at an April Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts Council ceremony. There, she will display items and present a PowerPoint talk, according to a congratulatory letter from Lynn Chaput, Girl Scout program development specialist. Ashley has also been asked to talk about the program at the Clinton Senior Center. Mr. Ritter, who founded the program in 2007, said yesterday he got the idea after his wife, also a teacher, asked him what to do with outdated prescription pills in their medicine cabinet. “I honestly did not know the answer to that. But I knew the answer was definitely not to throw them in the trash, or flush them down the toilet,” he said. That day, he discussed the problem with his students, who helped develop P2D2 in conjunction with Covanta Energy, a prescription disposal business. Besides cleaning up the environment, Mr. Ritter said, the program keeps prescription pain medication, stimulants and tranquilizers out of the hands of people who could abuse them, including young people. Mr. Ritter said his students subsequently wrote legislation that was passed by the Illinois Legislature allowing the program to be available statewide. It has expanded to 17 states, with the first program in Massachusetts starting two years ago in Great Barrington. There is also a P2D2 prescription disposal program in Danvers. “Ashley is an amazing young lady,” Mr. Ritter said. “She did the entire thing on her own — from start to finish. No teacher helped her. She gets it done like no other, and I believe her efforts will be mimicked. “She got the players together and they didn’t blink. It’s easy to do once it’s started, but someone has to start. Someone has to sit down and get the details done,” Mr. Ritter said.