Here's why March 6 is an important day for virtually every Tompkins County household: the Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal - CSMD - will host a communitywide event to address potential environmental challenges tied to improper disposal of unwanted household pharmaceuticals.

Given the beauty and importance of our own natural resources, most notably Cayuga Lake, we need to pay attention to how unwanted and outdated pharmaceuticals are disposed. Pharmaceuticals - including antibiotics - can be found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans. The concentrations of the pharmaceuticals are small - far below typical medical doses - but studies have found problematic impacts on wildlife, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has acknowledged that the issue is a serious concern. In Tompkins County, drinking water is periodically tested for miscellaneous pharmaceuticals and antibiotics. Again, although in very low levels, these chemicals are appearing in our local water supplies. The City of Ithaca has determined that these are "emerging contaminants."

Across the country, states have recognized that pharmaceuticals have the potential to cause environmental problems as well as increased drug trafficking in local communities. For example, Iowa has implemented a statewide drug disposal program where participating pharmacies take back these medications or sharps on a daily basis rather than on a special "collection" day.

Wisconsin has implemented a "unified medication return program" that utilizes a mail-back format for unused and unwanted consumer medications. In New Jersey, a subsidiary of a water utility is joining with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to raise awareness of the impacts from improperly disposing of medications.

New York State is also aware of the issue - the Solid Waste Division of the New York State Department of Conservation refers to these medications as "likely not commonly monitored, unregulated in water, poorly studied/poorly understood, may be concerns re: human health or aquatic life." The DEC has developed an educational campaign about pharmaceutical disposal, including a poster that can be displayed in pharmacies, doctors' offices and medical facilities.

A few counties in New York have undertaken pharmaceutical return days. The first collection day in Monroe County - the Rochester area - gathered more than 42,000 pills. Monroe County has gone on to hold five more collection days, resulting in 128 pound of hazardous substances, nearly 4,000 pounds of non-hazardous substances and 314 pounds of controlled substances.

The Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal has representatives from the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility, the Tompkins County Health Department, the Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Division, Cornell University, Lifelong and the Community Coalition for Healthy Youth, as well as the participation of local citizens.

The coalition has studied the issue of proper pharmaceutical disposal for several months. Although the impact of medication disposal on our local water resources is not yet a serious problem, it has the potential to become one. Throwing medications into the trash is also discouraged. It can lead to accidental swallowing by children or pets or could lead to misuse and/or abuse.

A result of this study is the inaugural Unwanted Household Pharmaceutical Collection Day designed for everyone with no-longer-needed household medications - and concerns about how to get rid of them safely. The Collection Day will be Saturday, March 6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT), 737 Willow Ave., Ithaca.

The coalition has worked with many local agencies to make this as simple as possible for the public. Cornell's Gannett Medical Center and Wegmans and Tops pharmacies have offered the services of registered pharmacists to oversee the event. There will be a convenient "drive-thru" location at TCAT's headquarters.

Once the pharmaceuticals are collected, they will be taken to an incineration facility in Oswego County. The coalition has received tremendous cooperation from the City of Ithaca Police Department and the Tompkins County Sheriff's Department. Law enforcement agencies are required to accompany the medications to the incineration facility.

The event is free and open to the public. No appointment is necessary. No one will ask your name. So that confidentiality can be addressed, participants are asked to leave medications in original containers and mark out personal information.

The following will be accepted at the March 6 event: Prescription drugs including controlled substances, pills, powders, liquids, inhalers, Epipens and non-prescription drugs, including pet medicines.

What will not be accepted on March 6: mercury thermometers, mercurochrome, other mercury products, medical sharps and other hazardous waste.

For more information about this important, first-time event, access www.recycletompkins.org or call 211.