EarthDayChallenge08

EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day was a big success: Collected over 1 Million Pounds of e-Waste and 1 Million Unwanted Pills in eight states across Great Lakes basin

Great Lakes residents met the EPA challenge on Earth Day 2008 to collect/recycle electronic waste and properly dispose of unwanted medicines.
Electronic waste collected included old/broken TVs, cell phones and computer components that may contain hazardous materials that can harm human health and the environment if disposed of improperly. In 2005, Americans discarded about 2 million tons of TVs, computers and other electronics.

Traces of medicines are in some streams and the Great Lakes where we get drinking water and has been detected near wastewater treatment outflows. Some meds can lead to reproductive/developmental problems in fish/animals. Over 50% of people surveyed throw unused medicines in the trash and a third flush them down the drain. Those drugs likely end up in rivers/lakes.